Set designer painter

Date and place of birth: 16.04.1957, New York, USA

Studies: "Nicolae Grigorescu" Institute of Fine Arts, Bucharest, Painting department, 1981

An eminent student at the "Nicolae Grigorescu" Institute of Arts in Bucharest, she has been assisting since her early years on several films directed by valuable artists such as Dan Piţa ("Justice in Chains"), Tudor Mărăscu ("Singur de carte"), Alexa Visarion ("Năpasta"), Francisc Munteanu ("A Patch of Sky"), Malvina Urşianu ("The Extras"), Nicu Stan ("Storm in the Pacific").

She debuted – a little later – in the theater, designing the set design for the show "Tartuffe" by Molière, at the Casandra Studio. During this time, Maria Maliţa also painted, participating with her works in group exhibitions (1981-1982) and in municipal and republican exhibitions (between 1981-1983).

She was hired at the Oradea State Theatre for the 1987/1988 season, coming mainly as a collaborator of director Laurian Oniga. The sets she designed for the three performances during the aforementioned period would have been serious reasons for the success of the performances. That this was not exactly the case is demonstrated by the beauty, elegance and efficiency of the scenographic setting, which has enough reserves for the respective performances. One of the reviewers noted, appreciating it, the set designer's effort to offer the difficult expressionist text ("The Master Singer" by Franz Wedekind) a simple but very elegant setting, with very expressive props. With the show "A Stormy Night" by IL Caragiale, he was tempted by the idea of finding "unusual meanings" at all costs, the show ultimately proving stylistically indecisive - so that the set and costumes, designed in the spirit of the director's vision, were notable in themselves, but had the reservations manifested by the "whole". He created a scenographic setting full of poetry in the show dedicated to the national poet, in January 1988: "Longing for Eminescu".

(Presentation by Eugen Ţugulea)

Artistic sheet – Oradea State Theatre

• Set design for A STORMY NIGHT by ILCaragiale, 1987, directed by Laurian Oniga
• Set design for THE MASTER SINGER by Frank Wedekind, 1988, dir. Laurian Oniga
• Set design for DOR DE EMINESCU, 1988, directed by Eugen Harizomenov