Drama in four acts by Mihail Davidoglu

Artistic director: Ion Deloreanu
Decor: Nagy Alexandru
Costumes: Eliza Popescu
Premiere date: November 14, 1964

A historical play, "Horia" provides an orderly, chronological retrospective of the events during the Peasants' Uprising of 1784 in Transylvania. Through seemingly random details and descriptions that do not lack a pronounced poetic element, the horrific conditions of oppression in which the Romanian serfs lived under the dual rule of the nobles and the Austrian Empire are outlined. Extreme exploitation, cruel and arbitrary punishments, and countless crimes by the nobles make the peasants seek solutions to preserve their dignity and gain their due rights. At first, Horia tries to peacefully obtain these rights, having several private meetings with Emperor Joseph II of Austria, himself a singular figure at the Viennese court, through the sympathy shown to the enlightened movements of the time. Next, with great historical accuracy, the play's action depicts the key moments of the uprising, which Horia prepares with great care and strategic spirit, insisting that the bulk of the villages in all parts of Transylvania be raised. Although Horia predicts that the best time for the uprising to break out would be the spring of 1785, his leaders start the movement earlier, before it is sufficiently prepared, in November 1784. At first, the enthusiasm of the peasants knows no bounds and fate seems to be favorable to them. More and more serfs join the rebel armies and more and more noble courts are attacked and destroyed. Cloșca, however, is more conciliatory, ready to come to an agreement with the lords who hypocritically promise to convert to the Orthodox religion and to stop oppressing the peasants. At the same time, a pedagogue from the Court of the Intze Spaniard warns the serfs that, although the Emperor has promised them support, the lord is still closer to his heart. A fact that proves to be true, when Transylvania is invaded on all roads by the imperial armies sent to suppress the uprising. And the clergy is mobilized against the rebels, the bishops and priests threatening the peasants with excommunication if they join Horia's army. Finally, without consulting Horia, Cloșca makes a deal with the chief of the imperial sloops, and this is the beginning of the end: the people leave for their homes, and Horia's camp, the only one trying in vain to resist the assault, is surrounded and defeated.

The last scene of the play, depicting Horia in prison, before his execution, sheds an optimistic light on the future of the Transylvanian peasants: the leader of the uprising knows that his truth does not die with him, because whoever has felt the taste of freedom never forgets it. He is convinced that before long, justice will descend on earth, which places the peasants' revolt for social rights among the national-revolutionary movements in the spirit of the great currents of the time.

Distribution:

Horia:  Vasile Constantinescu
Hen:  Nicholas Thomas
Crisan:  Liviu Martinus
David Marian:  Eugen Tugulea
George Mark:  Valentin Avrigeanu
Jacob Todea:  Constantin Simionescu
The bagpiper:  Grig Schiţcu
Ionut:  John Martin
Unoki:  John the Baptist
The driver:  Borsos Barna 
The farrier's wife:  Lili Mihailescu Vladimir
Emperor Joseph II:   Dorel Urlățeanu
Count Jankovitz:  Misu Vladimir
Count Csiszár:  Ilie Iliescu
The Secretary; Marcel Segărceanu
Eszterházy:  Count Ladislaus
Kaunitz:  Imre Radai
The pedagogue:  Valeriu Grama
The Incze Spaniel:  George Pintilescu
Count Balia:  Boris Petroff
The painter:  Ion Abrudan
The Owl's Whisperer:  Octavian Uleu
Gligore Micula:  Jean Sandulescu
Journeyman:  Ion Abrudan
Solgabirau:  Kalman Battyan
Maria Paven:  Anca Miere Chirilă
Flower:  Olga Sîrbul, Ana Popa
Marine:  Doina Ioja, Alla Tautu
Widow:  Maud Mary
A woman:  Doina Urlățeanu
Another woman:  Simona Constantinescu

Technical director: Dalma Simionescu
Prompter: Sofica Spoiala
Lights: Alexandru Tóth
Musical illustration and sound design: Dorel Olea