Actress

Date and place of birth: 13.01.1949, Maia, Ilfov County

Studies: Institute of Theater and Cinematography "ILCaragiale" Bucharest, 1975, class of prof. Sanda Manu

She has been at the Oradea State Theatre since 1975. She came with three classmates: Ileana Iurciuc, Mircea Constantinescu and Radu Vaida. From the beginning, the management offered them the chance for a consistent debut – in the play “The Nameless Star” by Mihail Sebastian. She was given, according to her presence (young, tall, slim, beautiful, with real availability for both drama and comedy) the role of Mona. Numerous leading roles in valuable plays followed, such as: Rosetta – “The Trevi Fountain” by GL Bernini, The Wife – “The Indictment” by Keskin Yîldîrîm, Tinca III and Anca – “The Fan House” by Marin Sorescu, Enea – “The Seventh Commandment” by Dario Fo, Valea – “The Adventurer” by Emil Braghinski, etc., all under the direction of Sergiu Savin. In the magazine "Familia", Dumitru Chirilă wrote that "Trevi Fountain" is a certain artistic success, and Mariana Neagu "a temperamental Rosetta". In the difficult role in "Casa evantai", Mariana Neagu demonstrated a good understanding of the ingenious play (drama/comedy) by Soresci, successfully integrating into the troupe.

Directed by Alexandru Colpacci, she created several exceptional roles. Let us mention in passing Totina ("Tonight is Improvisation" by Luigi Pirandello), Marusea ("Towards the Stars" by Leonid Andreev), Uliana and Tsarina ("Tsar Ivan Changes His Job" by Mikhail Bulgakov), Woman ("Dog Diogenes" by Dumitru Solomon). Awarded for the homogeneity of the troupe, the show "Tonight is Improvisation" receives praise for all the performers, and Mariana Neagu was a Totina full of mystery.

After the role of Mona, Szombati Gille Otto cast her, among others, in the poetic role of Dana ("And there will come nights of love..." by Rodica Padina) or in the temperamental Mayor in "Interviu" by Ecaterina Orpiu.

Alexandru Darie also played her, in the show "Ten Laughter" by Tudor Popescu (an Ortansa in which she skillfully combined laughter with crying), Anca Bradu in Martina (a complex character from "Bird Cemetery" by Antonio Gala) or in the cheerful Tândala ("Sânziana and Pepelea" by V. Alecsandri).

Directed by Victor Ioan Frunză, she created a charming character: Varia from Samuil Alioşin's "The Eighteenth Camel", with Maestro Octavian Cotescu, her former teacher, by her side. The chroniclers noted "happy career moments" for all the other performers.

Together with another teacher, this time Ion Cojar, she played an admirable role, that of Sarmisegetuza ("Titanic Waltz" by Tudor Muşatescu), and with Dan Alecsandrescu she collaborated on the development of a beautiful and well-constructed role, that of the Girl in the play "The Old Man" by Maxim Gorky ("a remarkable evolution" - wrote the press). "A spoilt child of the stage" - someone said about Mariana Neagu, who played numerous roles, both in dramas and comedies. She certainly has nostalgia for roles coveted by any actress, such as Stephane (played in the film by Ingrid Bergman) in "Cactus Flower" by Barillet and Grédy, Ines in the play "Closed Doors" by Jean-Paul Sartre or La Poncia in "The House of Bernard Alba" by FGLorca.

In recent years, she also played in Mihai Măniuţiu's play ("Electra"), always interested in the quality and value of the director, regardless of the size of her role. "I like to collaborate with the director - she says in an interview -, I try to understand what he wants, I don't go blindly". "Anyway, his ideas, if he knows what he wants, add a lot to my own thoughts".

But one of the roles that may seem minor, brought her enormous human and artistic satisfaction and many friends, starting with the author Nelu Ionescu. It is about "How did it happen that Catinca remained an old girl", a show staged, with undeniable artistic flair, by Eugen Ţugulea. "A show with long-lasting success with the public - writes Dumitru Chirilă - played many seasons in a row, a sentimental show, in which Mariana Neagu achieved one of the surest successes of her career."„

It's incredible how quickly the years go by! Mariana Neagu retired long before her time. We think that, judging by her looks, still beautiful, in full maturity! – she would have been suited to some of the great roles in classical or modern drama. Even if it were just Chekhov's, Arkadina or Ranevskaya. But…

(Presentation by Elisabeta Pop)

Artistic sheet – Oradea State Theatre

• Shopkeeper, Newspaper Seller and Nurse in THE BEETLE by V. Mayakovsky, 1974, directed by Alexandru Colpacci
• Mona in THE NAMELESS STAR by Mihail Sebastian, 1975, dir. Szombati Gille Otto
• Malloy in THE BOMB OF THE DAY by Ben Hecht and Charles McArthur, 1976, dir. Szombati Gille Otto
• Rosetta in the TREVI FOUNTAIN by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, 1976, directed by Sergiu Savin
• Dana in WHEN THE GRASS HAS A HUMAN FACE (AND THE NIGHTS OF LOVE WILL COME) by Rodica Padină, 1976, dir. Szombati Gille Otto
• Mariusa in TO THE STARS by Leonid Andreev, 1976, dir. Alexandru Colpacci
• Aeneas in THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT: STEALING A LESS by Dario Fo, 1977, directed by Sergiu Savin
• Geta Pie in KIDNEY STONE by Paul Everac, 1977, dir. Szombati Gille Otto
• The Fairy of the Forest in SÂNZIANA AND PEPELEA by Vasile Alecsandri, 1977, directed by Sergiu Savin
• Performer in THIS IS LIFE, 1977, directed by Ion Mâinea
• A street woman and Madam Bălăloiu in THE DUCK'S HEAD by George Ciprian, 1978, directed by Sergiu Savin
• Gabi in ALIBI by Ion Băieşu, 1978, directed by Alecu G.Croitoru
• Olga in ÎNCÚ-LUME by A. de de Herz, 1978, directed by Farkas Ştefan and Ion Mâinea
• Totina in TONIGHT IS IMPROVISING by Luigi Pirandello, 1978, directed by Alexandru Colpacci
• Betti in THE LITTLE PHARISEES by Dimitris Psatas, 1978, dir. Szombati Gille Otto
• Aphrodite in RHESOS (THE THRACIAN KING) by Euripides, 1979, directed by Sergiu Savin
• Lucretia Otis in THE GHOST WITH Brace by Mircea Bereş, 1979, directed by Mircea Cornişteanu
• Voter in A LOST LETTER by IL Caragiale, 1979, directed by Alexandru Colpacci
• Catinca in HOW CATINCA BECAME AN OLD GIRL by Nelu Ionescu, 1980, directed by Eugen Ţugulea
• The Wife in the RECIZITORY by Keskin Yîldîrîm, 1980, directed by Sergiu Savin
• Otilia in THE SWEET HYPOCRISY OF THE MATURE MAN by Tudor Popescu, 1980, directed by Mihai Lungeanu
• The woman in DIOGENES THE DOG by Dumitru Solomon, 1980, directed by Alexandru Colpacci
• The Mayor in INTERVIEW by Ecaterina Oproiu, 1980, directed by Szombati Gille Otto
• The Girl in THE OLD MAN by Maxim Gorky, 1981, directed by Dan Alecsandrescu
• Uliana and Tsarina in Tsar Ivan Changes His Profession by Mikhail Bulgakov, 1981, dir. Alexandru Colpacci
• A villager in SNOAVE CU MĂŞTI by Ion Lucian and Virgil Puicea, 1981, dir. Ion Lucian
• Tinca III and Anca in CASA EVANTAI by Marin Sorescu, 1981, directed by Sergiu Savin
• Fleur in THE FLORENTINE HAT by Eugène Labiche, 1982, dir. Zoe Anghel Stanca
• Proserpina in the coupé performance THE SABINE BLESSINGS and THE HORSE IN THE SENATE by Leonid Andreev, 1982, dir. Sergiu Savin
• Lady Milford in INTRIGUE AND LOVE by Fr. Schiller, 1982, dir. Zoe Anghel Stanca
• Sarmisegetuza in TITANIC WALTZ by Tudor Muşatescu, 1983, directed by Ion Cojar
• Performer in THE WAVES OF LIFE by Tudor Muşatescu, 1983, directed by Ion Cojar
• Lulau in THE MIRACULOUS CAREER (THE CAREER OF A PRISONER) by Tauno Yliruusi, 1983, dir. Eugen Ţugulea
• Claudine in THE DECEIVED HUSBAND (GEORGE DANDIN) by Molière, 1984, dir. Ion Mâinea
• Performer in ENTERTAINMENT '84, 1984, directed by Gábor József and Gábor Kati
• Varia in THE EIGHTEENTH CAMEL (ALL TIMES LOVE) by Samuil Alioşin, 1984, dir. Victor Ioan Frunză
• Villager in THE CURSED VILLAGE by Mircea Bradu, 1984, directed by Sergiu Savin
• Lucretia Borgia in BACCALAUREATE EXAM (FATA MORGANA) by Dumitru Solomon, 1985, directed by Victor Ioan Frunză
• Performer in ONE MORE SONG, ONE MORE Joke, 1985, directed by Gábor József and Gábor Kati
• Stéphane in CACTUS FLOWER by Barillet and Grédy, 1986, directed by Farkas Ştefan
• Nectar in the RAIN AT SOVATA (STRESS) by Mircea Radu Iacoban, 1986, dir. Dan Alecsandrescu
• Hortensia in TEN LAUGHTER by Tudor Popescu, 1987, dir. Alexandru Darie
• Madonna Violante in THE WICKEDNESS OF LOVE (HUHUREZUL) by Giovanni Maria Cecchi, 1988, dir. Sergiu Savin
• Ada Ferguson in HOW TO WIN MEN (PENELOPE) by Somerset Maugham, 1988, dir. Farkas Ştefan
• Reta Stoleru in THE NEXT ROOM by Paul Everac, 1988, directed by Ion Mâinea
• The Valley in AVENTURIERA by Emil Braghinski, 1988, directed by Sergiu Savin
• Eleonora Axente in THE MIDNIGHT WALTZ by Viorel Cacoveanu, 1989, directed by Nicoleta Toia
• Hélėne Grosbois in A FUNERAL PARTY by Pierre Chesnot, 1989, dir. Laurian Oniga
• Agatha Posket in THE SECRET OF THE POSKET FAMILY by Arthur W. Pinero, 1990, director Ion Mainea
• Mrs. Lucia d'Alvadorez in CHARLEY'S AUNT by Brandon Thomas, 1990, d. Eugen Mercus
• Tamara in WE ARE URGENTLY LOOKING FOR A COMMUNIST GRANDFATHER (THE MANDATE) by Nikolai Erdman, 1991, dir. Cornel Mihalache
• Mrs. Eynsford Hill in PYGMALION by GBShaw, 1992, d.Eugen Harizomenov
• Argentina in THREE VENETIAN TWINS by Antonio Mattiuzzi aka Collalto, 1993, dir. Cristian Ioan
• The Flower in THE IMMORTAL IONEL by Denc Şerban Codrin Denc, 1993, directed by Mihai Lungeanu
• Queen Guinevere in A YANKEE IN KING ARTHUR'S COURT by Mark Twain, 1993, d.Eugen Harizomenov
• Martina in THE BIRD CEMETERY by Antonio Gala, 1994, directed by Anca Bradu
• Tandala in SÂNZIANA AND PEPELEA by Vasile Alecsandri, 1994, directed by Anca Bradu
• Assistant director in TACHE, IANKE AND CADÂR by Victor Ion Popa, 1995, dir. Mihai Fotino
• La Poncia in THE HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA by Federico Garcia Lorca, 1996, dir. Irina Popescu-Boieru
• Phisignata and The Second Man in the Shadow Party in THE TRIAL FOR A DONKEY'S SHADOW by Friedrich Dürrenmatt, 1997, dir. Cristian Ioan
• Daria Petrovna in HEART OF A DOG by Mikhail Bulgakov, 1997, directed by Vitalii Lupaşcu
• Tasia in IF THERE IS NO LOVE… by Elena Preda and Eugen Ţugulea based on the novel by Marin Preda, 1998, dir. Eugen Ţugulea
• Woman I, Old Woman I in THE ASSEMBLY OF WOMEN by Aristophanes, 1998, d.Eugen Harizomenov
• Ines in CLOSED DOORS by Jean-Paul Sartre, 2000, dir. Alina Hiristea
• Zoia Duduleanu in THE GAIŢELE by Alexandru Kiriţescu, 2000, directed by Ion Ciubotaru
• Aunt I, Mrs. I in IVONA, PRINCESS OF BURGUNDY by Witold Gombrowicz, 2002, directed by Alina Hiristea
• Helena in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM by William Shakespeare, 2003, dir. Ion Sapdaru
• Aftinia in MOTHER-IN-LAW WITH THREE DAUGHTER-IN-LAW after Ion Creangă, 2003, directed by Gavril Borodan
• Chorus role in ELECTRA after Sophocles and Euripides, 2004, directed by Mihai Măniuţiu
• Role in the Jewish Choir in SHOAH. PRIMO LEVI'S VERSION, screenplay by Mihai Măniuţiu after interviews with Primo Levi, 2004, dir. Mihai Măniuţiu
• The Stepmother in CINDERELLA, based on Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm, 2007, directed by Eugen Ţugulea