The events dedicated to honoring the memory of the beloved Romanian actor, born in the heart of Oltenia, began on April 6, on the stage of the Marin Sorescu National Theater in Craiova, the place where his fascinating journey in the artistic world began.
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A show of light and color, projected into the sky with laser lights, opened the “In Memoriam Amza Pellea” event.
Hundreds of spectators enjoyed an exceptional performance, full of emotion, music and poetry, on a stage with artists and theater people, including actresses Oana Pellea and Rodica Mandache, theater critic Marina Constantinescu, Emil Boroghină, former director of the National Theater Marin Sorescu from Craiova, Mircea Rusu, director of the IL Caragiale National Theater from Bucharest, soloists Andrei Păunescu, Sergiu Cioiu, naist Nicolae Voiculeț and the Oltenia Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra.
On Sunday, April 7, 2024, the inauguration of the “Amza Pellea” Memorial House in Băilești took place, 93 years after the birth of the great actor.
In Băilești, the official opening took place in the presence of the actor's daughter, the county authorities and representatives of the Oltenia Museum, followed by the screening of the film “Nea Mărin Billionaire” in Tineretului Park, in the center of the city.
The Dolj County Council and the Oltenia Craiova Museum have thus succeeded in opening the doors of a new cultural destination, honoring the personality of the great actor and offering the public the opportunity to learn about some of the works and life of the memorable Nea Mărin.
“I wanted it for a very long time and now the miracle happened: the reopening of the Amza Pellea Memorial House with new clothes and under the big hat of the Oltenia Museum. From this moment on, this memorial house enters a museum circuit. There are a lot of emotions, feelings, I am in a state of humility and I have to bow in gratitude to the Dolj County Council, the president Cosmin Vasile and the director of the Oltenia Museum, Florin Ridiche. Without this support, everything you see would not have been possible, would not have been achieved. The objects in the house belonged to my father, they are all donated by me for the memorial house, the work is not finished, we will continue to enrich the exhibits. I would very much like children's laughter to be heard in this house, it is a multimedia room where schools could come to visit and do drawing workshops. I wish it wasn't just a museum point, but a living ferment that would carry dad's spirit on. I want to thank the public who keep his memory alive. As long as he will be loved, remembered and live in the souls of people, Dad's spirit lives on. For this, bows to the people who loved him and who do not forget him after 40 years since he is no longer on earth, he was a good man and I really believe that the things you spread in people and in the universe they return to you”said Oana Pellea.
The collaboration between the daughter of the great Amza, the actress Oana Pellea, the representatives of the Dolj County Council and the Museum of Oltenia brought Nea Mărin back home, to Băilești, in the hearts of the people of Oltenia, in the hearts of Romanians. In the rooms of the building, exhibitions were set up containing both personal items, movie posters, and a collection of weapons-props, the award won by Amza Pellea, at the Moscow International Film Festival, for the performance in the movie “Osânda” and the medal “The jubilee of the golden promotion of the Romanian theater”.
“The memorial house is a neo-baroque architectural monument, it was built in 1908, it is one of the last examples of this architectural style. The work was extensive, and during the renovation we discovered many interesting things. If you look carefully at the roof, we kept the same shape of the tile that was before, characteristic style of roofs in the south of Oltenia, fish scale style, we analyzed very carefully the wooden joinery, which could no longer be restored, and replaced – also with beech wood joinery like the one before. Another interesting thing, I discovered that all the brick in the house structure is very good quality fireclay brick, which is usually used for stove construction, but here it was used for the whole house. Everything you see in the exhibition rooms is made according to the concept of Mrs. Oana Pellea, with a room dedicated to objects and family photos, the second room with a multimedia role for visitors where films in which the great actor played will be played. For us, as the Museum of Oltenia, it is very important that this is the first time we manage a memorial house. All these things would not have been possible without the permanent support of the Dolj County Council”said Florin Ridiche, director of the Oltenia Craiova Museum.
After two years of works for the renovation of this building, the Memorial House will have museum status.
“I begin by thanking you (Oana Pellea, no) for trusting us, trusting to entrust us with the parental home, trusting to bring us objects of the soul, dear memories of your parents and trusting that we will do everything possible to honor the memory of Amza Pellea. For us, Amza Pellea is not only the symbol of Bailești, not only the symbol of Dolj county, I think he is the man who is a true symbol for the whole of Oltenia. He is the greatest Romanian actor and from what we all saw at the show at the National Theatre, through everything that was evoked, he is a man with great kindness, with a great character, a man who loved these people very, very much places”said Cosmin Vasile, president of the Dolj County Council.
During the week of April 8-14, the visiting schedule will be daily between 09:00 and 17:00. Starting April 15, visiting hours will be from Tuesday to Sunday, between 09:00 and 17:00.
Public access will be free until July 2024.
You can get more details by visiting the Facebook page of the Amza Pellea Memorial House.
