The winners of “Matei Brâncoveanu” Awards 2017, excitement and applause

More than a hundred guests attended the “Matei Brâncoveanu” Awards on Tuesday evening. It is for the third year in a row when the Alexandrion Foundation organizes this event, where young artists, cultured people and early-career scientists were awarded.

The selection of the candidates was very rigorous, and on Tuesday evening the jury revealed the names of the laureates at a ceremony organized at the Pullman Hotel in Bucharest in the presence of friends, relatives and guests.

The Alexandrion Foundation supports excellence

“Behold! We are at the third edition of “Matei Brâcoveanu” Awards. We are very glad that this Gala, dedicated to young people of value, is at least as appreciated as the one that preceded it, and which opened the series of events dedicated to culture and science which the Alexandrion Foundation supports, the “Constantin Brâncoveanu” Awards Gala. We continue offering the Medicine Prize as we did last year, and we want to do this because we want to keep up with the news and development in every field serving the society we are part of,” said Nawaf Salameh, president of the Alexandrion Foundation at the opening of the event. 

The laureates of the third edition of “Matei Brâncoveanu” Awards

Music – Alin Stoica

At 31 years old, tenor Alin Stoica is already the first soloist of the National Opera House in Bucharest and laureate of Luciano Pavarotti International Competition.

“It is a great honour for me to receive the “Matei Brâncoveanu” Award because I know that at the basis for the granting of these awards is stand clear criteria and respect for values. I dedicate this award to all young Romanians who have the courage to dream and who follow their dream regardless of the “holes” of the times we live in. I thank Alexandrion Foundation for managing to build a future for Romania! I promise you that I will do everything that depends on me in order to also deserve, after a while, the “Constantin Brâncoveanu” Award, said tenor Alin Stoica the moment he was being granted the award.

Film – Daniel Sandu

The 39-year-old director was awarded by the jury of “Matei Brâncoveanu” Awards for the feature “One Step Behind the Seraphim” („Un pas în urma serafimilor”).  Gabriel is the main character of the film. The teenager wishes to become a priest and enters an Orthodox theological seminary. At first, he tries to integrate and adapt to life in the seminar. Eventually, however, Gabriel realizes that the system is a corrupt and abusive one. So, he and three other college mates become problem-students in the school board’s view. Caught in a hostile and corrupt environment, the adolescents learn that in order to resist in the seminar, they must acquire skills less worthy lying, stealing, manipulation and betrayal.

Theatre – Andrei and Andreea Grosu

Aged 35 and 36 respectively, the two spouses are the founders of the independent theater “Unteatru”. They were awarded for the direction of the exceptional performance “The King Dies”, by Eugen Ionescu, which premiered at the Bucharest National Theater in 2017.

History – Mircea Gheorghe Abrudan is 31 years old and is the editor, translator and author of the introductory study of the notes and indices of the volume “Description of Oltenia in 1723” by Friederich Schwartz von Springfels, 2017.

Literature – Claudiu Komartin

At 34 years of age, Claudiu Komartin is considered by the jury of “Matei Brâncoveanu” Awards to be a top exponent of the young generation of Romanian writers. He was awarded for the volume “The Masters of a Moribund Art” (“Maeștrii unei arte muribunde”) Cartier Publishing House, Chișinău, 2017.

“It is honorable and gratifying that in such times when culture is not held in high regard, the Alexandrion Foundation is involved and provides support to young writers, “said Claudiu Komartin on the stage of “Matei Brâncoveanu” Awards Gala. Here Claudiu Komartin also praised the jury’s exigency and impartiality after admitting that professionally speaking, he was not always on the same wavelength with the juror from the Literature section, but still, behold, he was awarded.

Medicine -Dr. Nicolae Crișan

At 38 years old, dr. Nicolae Crișan is a primary physician, head of the Department of Urology at the Cluj-Napoca Municipal Hospital, a practitioner, an onco-urologist surgeon who, in 2017, as one of the first users of robotic surgery, gave a new dimension of this method and achieved outstanding results, recognized in the country and abroad. He was granted the award by Univ. Prof. Dr. John Coman, to whom the young laureate was a student and a disciple.

Plastic Arts – Maia Ștefana Oprea

The 30-year-old young woman is a painter, a very consistent artist, receiving scholarships in France and the USA. Maia Ştefana Oprea has personal exhibitions in Romania and abroad; she has participated in prestigious biennials and international creation camps; she has works of art in leading collections in the country and abroad.

“I am very honoured with the description made by the jurors and I want to thank the jury and the Foundation for this award. Three years ago, I spent a lot of time in a library in France trying to find out who I was from an artistic point of view. This award proves that my work has not been in vain, “said Maia Stephen Oprea on the stage of” Matei Brancoveanu” Gala”.

Architecture – senior lecturer doctor Horia Moldovan

At 39 years old, senior lecturer doctor Horia Moldovan is already the author of modern books and projects, participant in exhibitions in the country and abroad, author of several works of complex dimension. He designed social homes and, among other things, the Mizil City Hall – in 2017. Senior lecturer doctor Horia Moldovan is the author of the historical and architectural study to substantiate the restrictions and permissivities regarding the intervention works in order to preserve the ensemble of the Călui Monastery in Olt County.

For the first time in the history of Galas organized by Alexandrion Foundation, this year, the jury of “Matei Brâncoveanu” Awards has been similar to that of “Constantin Brâncoveanu” Gala. It was led by Academician Dan Berindei, Vice-President Univ. Prof. Andrei Marga.

The jury also consisted of Univ. Prof. Grigore Constantinescu, Univ. Prof. Ioan Scurtu, Univ. Prof. doctor Marian Moiceanu, Liviu Ioan Stoicius-writer, Magda Mihăilescu – film critic, Ileana Lucaciu – theatre critic, Ștefan Râmniceanu – plastic artist and laureate of “Constantin Brâncoveanu” Awards – and Dumitru Constantin – publisher, secretary of the Jury.

In addition, Alexandrion Foundation also granted a special award to B & B Distribution Prahova partners for the excellent collaboration and results from last year. The trophy was received by Viorel Aldea, the general manager of the company.