During a ceremony held on Monday evening at the Royal Palace in Bucharest, in the Throne Room, together with other personalities from various fields, singer-songwriter Nicu Alifantis received the Order of the Crown of Romania in the rank of Knight from Princess Margareta.
Princess Margareta handed Nicu Alifantis the medal. Photo: video capture
The Royal Palace in Bucharest hosted a new royal ceremony, during which the composer and performer Nicu Alifantis was decorated by the Royal House of Romania. Her Majesty Margareta, the Custodian of the Crown of Romania, awarded the artist the Order of the Crown of Romania in the rank of Knight, thus recognizing his exceptional merits in the field of art and his outstanding contributions to Romanian culture, thereby marking the artist’s 70th birthday this year , in May.
“For more than five decades he proved to be one of the main contemporary composers and a unanimously appreciated Romanian folk musician, developing and documenting this musical genre with national characters”, said Princess Margareta about Nicu Alifantis, upon handing over the title.
For his part, the artist confessed that he is extremely emotional and grateful and that such a valuable medal is a first for him.
“I am very excited, it is a great honor for me to receive such a medal, I have never received anything like this before and I can tell you with my hand on my heart that it is one of the most valuable I have received since -throughout my career”, said Nicu Alifantis.
Born in Brăila on May 31, 1954, from a family of Greek-Macedonian origin, Alifantis is a pioneer of the folk genre in Romania, making himself known since the time when Adrian Păunescu was organizing the Cenacle “Flacăra”. Throughout his career, he collaborated with other well-known artists, but also with poets such as Nichita Stănescu. The poet’s verses, to the music of Nicu Alifantis, were collected in the album entitled “Nichita”, which was a real success.
Other distinctions
Along with the Custodians of the Crown, Prince Radu and Princess Sofia were also present at the ceremony, who supported the granting of royal distinctions to prominent personalities from Romania and the Republic of Moldova, according to Agerpres.
* Custodian of the Romanian Crown Medal
– Răzvan Apetrei
– Dr. Alexandra Stähli – University of Bern
* Knight of the Crown of Romania
– General (r) Corneliu Postu, former director of the Defense Staff
– Ambassador Gabriela Dancău
– Nicu Alifantis
* Cross of the Royal House
– Representative Music of MApN
– 30th Guards Brigade ‘Mihai Viteazul’
* Royal Medal for Loyalty
– Patrick Luca, Invictus Volunteer Association
– Nicolae Dobre, Romanian Sheep Federation
– Alexandru Machedon, president of SarNet Chisinau
– Noel Negrea, ANRM Mehedinţi
– 33rd Posada Mountain Hunter Battalion
At the same time, the Romanian Chess Federation received the high patronage of HRH Prince Radu.
They were also granted
Royal Scholarships:
* Technical University of Moldova
– Scholarship of King Michael I – year V: Efim Ardovan, student in year VI of Veterinary Medicine;
– Regina Ana Scholarship – 5th year: Gheorghe Pîrgaru, 3rd year student in Agronomy
* University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine (USAMV) Bucharest
– King Michael I Scholarship – fifth year: David Bucur, third year Faculty of Horticulture, Horticulture specialization
– Regina Ana scholarship – fifth year: Vitalina Sandu, third year Faculty of Horticulture, Landscape specialization
* State University of Moldova
– Queen Maria Scholarship – IV year: Irina Petcu, student of the Faculty of Biology and Geosciences
– King Ferdinand Scholarship – IV year: Alexandru Mihalachi, student at the Faculty of Economic Sciences
* ASE Bucharest
– Queen Elizabeth Scholarship – year VII: Anna Maria Petrache, Faculty of International Economic Relations
– King Carol I Scholarship – year VII: Mihai Alexandru Niţu, Faculty of Business Administration with teaching in foreign languages.
