Maia Morgenstern

I had known the State Jewish Theatre since I was a child. My parents used to take me there, and I remember being fascinated by everything about it. It felt joyful, colourful and full of light. There was music everywhere - people sang, people danced, and the whole place seemed to sparkle. They even had strobe lights and one of those glittering disco balls you normally only saw in nightclubs. I wasn’t allowed to go to nightclubs, of course. But I was allowed to go to the theatre. And somehow, that made it feel even more exciting. I also remember the little handsets we used to listen to the Romanian translation. Then, at a certain point, THE VOICE - soft, warm and velvety - would gently say: “And now, please watch the actors perform.” That voice stayed with me. So did the lights, the music, the dancing, and the feeling that, inside that theatre, something wonderful was always about to happen.

Date of birth

01/05/1962

Training

The "I.L. Caragiale" Institute of Theatre and Film Arts, in the class of Professor Dem Rădulescu
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Shylock in The Merchant of Venice
Sidy Thal / C. Codreanu in Sidy Thal
Performer in Shards of Mirror
Performer in Mansdorf
Anuța in Lost Relatives
Esfir Livovna in My Grandson Benjamin
Ana Novac in The Golden Days of My Youth
Lady Bracknell in Good Evening, Mr Wilde!
Performer in The Lights of the Ghetto
The Lecturer in A Lesson in Good Manners
Marga in Tourist Guide to Warsaw
Ion Pribeagu in Small but Fierce
Janka Festinger in Janka
Maia Morgenstern in The Perfect Passover Dinner
Chirița in Vițn, șprițn & kaprițn - Chirița, guests and puppets
Performer in Birds of Passage
Performer in Stand-Up Lechaim!
Olga in Futur de Luxe
Führerin in At Your Command, Fuhrer!
Mira in Driver / Painter
Sarah in The Lover
Frau Hess in Frau Hess and Her Gardens
The Prologue, The Epilogue in Purimshpil, a Comedy
The Puppeteer in Exile in the Land of Forgetting
Have in Mazl Tov… And Justice For All!
The Mother in Yom Kippur
Frumka in Yentl
Marcela Embrich in Wandering Stars
Clara Spodek in A Dental Tragedy
Miss Daisy in Driving Miss Daisy
Valeria Duran in Final Tango
Kathleen Hogan in Park Your Car in Harvard Yard
Lola Blau in Tonight: Lola Blau

Teatrul Național București

  • Sarah in The Lover, from the double bill Two X Two (by Harold Pinter, directed by Vlad Stănescu, 2012)
  • Klara Zachanassian in The Visit (by Friedrich Dürrenmatt, directed by Alexander Morfov, 2011)
  • Ranevskaya, Lyubov Andreyevna in The Cherry Orchard by A. P. Chekhov, directed by Felix Alexa, 2010
  • Catherine the Great in Great Catherine by George Bernard Shaw, directed by Cornel Todea, 2008
  • Dorimene / Lady d'Or in The Bourgeois Gentleman (after Molière, directed by Petrică Ionescu, 2006)
  • Matron “Mama” Morton in Chicago by Maurine Dallas Watkins, directed by Ricard Reguant, 2005
  • The Pope in The Anguish of Saint Tommaso d'Aquino (by Alex Mihai Stoenescu, directed by Grigore Gonța, 2005)
  • Luiza in Love by Lajos Barta, directed by Grigore Gonța, 2004
  • Anna Andreevna in The Government Inspector by Nikolai Gogol, directed by Serghei Cerkasski, 2002
  • Aldonza in Man of La Mancha by Dale Wasserman, directed by Ion Cojar, 2001
  • Titania in The Park by Botho Strauss, directed by Tudor Țepeneag, 1997
  • Zenocrate in Tamburlaine the Great (by Christopher Marlowe, directed by Victor Ioan Frunză, 1996)
  • Marguerite in The Lady of the Camellias (after Alexandre Dumas fils, directed by Răzvan Mazilu, 1995)
  • Haya in Ghetto (by Joshua Sobol, directed by Victor Ioan Frunză, 1993)
  • Miss Julie in Miss Julie (by August Strindberg, directed by Ștefan Iordănescu, 1992)
  • Hîrzobeanu in Patrihoții (after Vasile Alecsandri, directed by Mihai Manolescu, 1991)
  • Cecilia in The Children’s Crusade by Lucian Blaga, directed by Laurian Oniga, 1991
  • Varia in The Cherry Orchard by A. P. Chekhov, directed by Andrei Șerban, 1992
  • Viola in Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare, directed by Andrei Șerban, 1991
  • Will Dawes / Liz Morden in Our Country’s Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker, directed by Andrei Șerban, 1990
  • The Audition, directed by Andrei Șerban, 1990
  • Medea in Ancient Trilogy - Medea, after Euripides and Seneca, directed by Andrei Șerban, 1990

Teatrul Metropolis, București

  • Amelie in Jubilee by Jean-Marie Chevret and Michèle Ressi, directed by Radu Beligan, 2012
  • Dana in Love Stories (by Radu F. Alexandru, directed by Claudiu Goga, 2011)

Teatrul Bulandra

  • The Stepdaughter in Six Characters in Search of an Author (by Luigi Pirandello, directed by Liviu Ciulei, 2005)
  • Turandot in Turandot (by Carlo Gozzi, directed by Cătălina Buzoianu, 2000)
  • Jenny in Everything in the Garden (by Edward Albee, directed by Tudor Mărăscu, 1997)
  • Mrs T in Procust's Bed (after Camil Petrescu, directed by Cătălina Buzoianu, 1995)

Teatrul Odeon

  • Isadora Duncan in When She Danced (by Martin Sherman, directed by Răzvan Mazilu, 2012)
  • Rosa Fröhlich, known as Lola Lola in The Blue Angel (after Heinrich Mann, directed by Răzvan Mazilu, 2001)
  • Zibelda in Saragosa - 66 Days, directed by Alexandru Dabija, 1999

Teatrul Mic

  • Mrs Warren in Mrs Warren’s Profession by George Bernard Shaw, directed by Claudiu Istodor, 2012

Compania D’AYA

  • Madlene in Mecanica inimii (after Mathias Malzieu, directed by Chris Simion, 2014)
  • Maitreyi at the age of 60 in Maitreyi, after Mircea Eliade and Maitreyi Devi, directed by Chris Simion, 2011
  • Master of Ceremonies in They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (by Horace McCoy, directed by Chris Simion, 2007)

Teatrul ”Radu Stanca”, Sibiu

  • Arkadina in The Seagull (by A.P. Chekhov, directed by Andrei Șerban, 2007)
  • Athens, at the Athens Concert Hall (Megaron)
  • Lysistrata in Lysistrata by Aristophanes, directed by Michael Cacoyannis, 2005

Cultural Olympiad, Athens, 2002

  • Electra in Electra by Sophocles, directed by Yiannis Margaritis

Teatrul Luni, Compania Teatrul Deschis

  • Chantan au Lait, after Mircea Dinescu, also directed by Maia Morgenstern, 1997

Teatrul ”Maria Filotti”, Brăila

  • Chirița in Chirița en voyage (after Vasile Alecsandri)

Teatrul Național ”Marin Sorescu” Craiova

  • Clytemnestra in The Oresteia (after Sophocles, directed by Silviu Purcărete, 1998)

Theatrum Mundi

  • The Madwoman in Decomposed Theatre (by Matei Vișniec, directed by Cătălina Buzoianu, 1993)

Teatrul Tineretului Piatra Neamț

  • Gwendolen Fairfax in Good Evening, Mr Wilde! (a musical by Henry Mălineanu, after Bernard Shaw, directed by Nicolae Caranfil, 1987)
  • Tofana in Red Passion by Mihail Sorbul, directed by Nicolae Scarlat, 1987
  • Lucietta in Piazzeta, by Carlo Goldoni (directed by Silviu Purcărete, 1986)
  • Ioana in These Sad Angels (by Dumitru Radu Popescu, directed by Nicolae Scarlat, 1985)
  • Sister Martina in What About Love (2016)
  • Maia Morgenstern in We Cannes (2014)
  • Dr. Janos in Carmen (2013)
  • Mrs Moscu in Miss Christina (2013)
  • Revederea (2013)
  • Transylvania Girl (2011)
  • Zori de zi (2011)
  • Iubire elenă (Eleni Love) (2010)
  • Marieta in Iubire și onoare (TV series, 2010)
  • Simona in The Green Moon (2010)
  • The Mother in Sânge tânăr, munți și brazi (2010)
  • Eszter Somos in The House of Terror, directed by Peter Engert, 2008
  • Herman’s Mother in The Fence, directed by Philip Saville, 2007
  • Mrs Mansfeld in Mansfeld, directed by Andor Szilágyi, 2006
  • Margo's Mother in Margo (directed by Ioan Cărmăzan, 2006)
  • Ada's Mother in Poisoned Dreams (directed by Ana Mărgineanu, 2006)
  • Irene in 15 (directed by Sergiu Nicolaescu, 2005)
  • Bonne de Bois de Rose in L`HOMME PRESSE (directed by Sebastien Grall, 2005)
  • Amalia Frunzetti in Orient Express (directed by Sergiu Nicolaescu, 2004)
  • Impossible Marriage (TV series, directed by Silviu Jicman, 2004)
  • Alexandra in Damen Tango (directed by Dinu Tănase, 2004)
  • Mary in The Passion of the Christ, directed by Mel Gibson, 2004
  • Gina in Bolondok Eneke (directed by Csaba Bereczki, 2003)
  • Olga in A Rozsa Enekei, directed by Andor Szilágyi, 2003
  • Mrs T in Procust’s Bed, directed by Sergiu Prodan and Viorica Meșina, 2001
  • Woman at the Fountain in Prince of Darkness: The True Story of Dracula (TV film, directed by Joe Chappelle, 2000)
  • Nonna in Marie, Nonna, la Vierge et moi (directed by Francis Renaud, 2000)
  • Irma in Kinai Vedelem (directed by Gabor Tompa, 1999)
  • Face to Face (directed by Marius Teodor Barna, 1999)
  • Queen Marie in Triangle of Death, directed by Sergiu Nicolaescu, 1999
  • Frumoșii nebuni ai marilor orașe (National Television Theatre, 1998)
  • The Man of the Day, directed by Dan Pița, 1997
  • The Mother of the Witman Boys in the Witman Boys (directed by János Szász, 1997)
  • Don Juan, or The Love of Geometry by Max Frisch, directed by Eugen Todoran, 1997
  • Edith Stein in The Seventh Room (directed by Márta Mészáros, 1995)
  • Ulysses’ Wife in Ulysses’ Gaze, directed by Theo Angelopoulos, 1995
  • Three Sisters by A. P. Chekhov, directed by Cornel Todea, 1994
  • Helen in Nostradamus (directed by Roger Christian, 1994)
  • The Prisoner in Trahir (directed by Radu Mihăileanu, 1993)
  • The House from the Dream (directed by Ioan Cărmăzan, 1993)
  • Matilda in The Earth's Most Beloved Son (directed by Șerban Marinescu, 1993)
  • Nela in The Oak, directed by Lucian Pintilie, 1992
  • Rămânerea (directed by Laurențiu Damian, 1992)
  • Those Who Pay with Their Lives (directed by Șerban Marinescu, 1991)
  • The Boy with a Single Brace (directed by Iulian Mihu, 1990)
  • Maria in Maria and the Sea, directed by Mircea Mureșan, 1988
  • The Season of Love, directed by Iulian Mihu, 1986
  • Chained Justice (directed by Dan Pița, 1983)
  • Too Hot for the Month of May, directed by Maria Callas Dinescu, 1983
  • Best Actress Award, EMMA Awards, London, for the role of Mary in The Passion of the Christ, 2004
  • Irina Răchițeanu-Șirianu Award, for The Lady of the Camellias, 1997
  • UNITER Award for her performance in Lola Blau, 1995
  • Felix Award for Actress of the Year for The Oak, 1993
  • Théâtre Vivant Award, Radio France Internationale, for Best French-Language Production, Decomposed Theatre, 1993
  • Les stars de demain Award, Geneva, for best actress, and the Critics' Award, for The Oak, 1992
  • AUR Award, Romanian Humorists’ Association, for The Oak, 1992
  • Flacăra Magazine Award for The Children's Crusade
  • L. S. Bulandra National Award for Best Actress of the Year, for the role of Haya in Ghetto, 1993
  • UCIN Award for Those Who Pay with Their Lives, 1990
  • Lucia Sturdza Bulandra National Award for Best Actress of the Year, for the role of Medea in Ancient Trilogy, 1990
  • UNITER Award for Best Actress, for the role of Medea in Ancient Trilogy, 1990
  • Special Mention, Costinești National Film Festival, for Maria and the Sea, 1980

Photo gallery

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