ICR Romanian Cultural Institute London

Romanian artists @ The Mayor's Thames Festival

Once a year, Romanians take out their hidden treasures and hang them on the clothesline, in their own courtyard. Their best clothes, textiles and linen, their most precious possessions are thus cleaned by the water, sun and wind.
This is your chance to admire them from a close distance. Don't be afraid to touch them if you feel the need to, but bear in mind their beauty is also their fragility and old age.
                                                                                           Anamaria Iuga & Simina Badica (Romanian Peasant Museum)

Romanian artists, musicians and craftsmen come to London to take part in The Mayor's Thames Festival 2009, a spectacular event that celebrates London and its river.
The New European Village section highlights the rich cultures of countries relatively new to the European Union (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Turkey).

This year the stage will showcase a mixture of traditional and contemporary performers whose music reflects, in some way, the musical style and tradition of their native country while maintaining a contemporary and progressive approach to writing and performing. The individual marquees will present traditional handmade crafts, straw dollmaking and more.

The Romanian stand includes precious hand-made hanging on the clothesline and photos from the traditional treasure room, the good room. Craftsmen Monica Paduret and Ioana Constantin demonstrate the different techniques of ceramic. They are not only fascinating to watch, but will invite and help members of the public to try out their skills.

If you want to see more Romanian dowry hanging on the clothesline, we welcome you at the Romanian Cultural Institute, between 14 - 25 September 2009.

Two concerts complement the ethnographic exhibition: Apolodor with Ada Milea, Dorina Chiriac & Radu Banzaru @ the New European Village Stage.

Apolodor is the musical version of a children's book written by Gellu Naum. It focuses on the story of a little penguin named Apolodor who lives at the circus in Bucharest and sings in the choir. Feeling very sad as he misses his family back in Labrador, he decides to leave Bucharest. His adventures are remarkably well singed by Ada Milea, Dorina Chiriac and Radu Banzaru.

About the artists (Ada Milea, Dorina Chiriac, Radu Banzaru, Monica Paduret, Ioana Constantin) - Word document, 320 KB.

The Romanian participation at the Mayor's Thames Festival is organised by the Romanian Cultural Institute in London.

When: Romanian stand: 12 & 13 September 2009, 12 noon - 10 pm
Apolodor performance with Ada Milea, Dorina Chiriac & Radu Banzaru: Saturday 12 September, 6.50 pm and Sunday 13 September, 8.20 pm
Where: New European Village, South Bank riverside walkway, between Westminster Bridge and Tower Bridge
Admission: free.