Among the many wounds inflicted upon contemporary society, one is the absence of gratitude. No, not dissatisfaction itself; that, paradoxically, may serve as a catalyst, a force that may drive a struggle that, in turn, sparks light. It is rather the risky reduction of gratitude to a mere self-contained notion, without it even becoming self-satisfaction. This festival sets out to bring back literacy to the soul and place it within the Eucharistic essence of the world. A profound “thank you” to those who strive to prevent ugliness from engulfing us and from appearing as normal.
Constantin Necula: Maestro, dear friend, I’ve lost count of how many interviews we’ve had, and we keep going, let’s hope we’ll have many more in the future. First of all, I say to you Christ is Risen, and I thank you for welcoming us once again to share stories together.
Constantin Chiriac: Truly, He is Risen! We have naturally continued what has been proposed by the one who is now the president of our country, after this whole sterile battle over human value that I don’t understand – between Romanians and Romanians – “Let’s go, tomorrow we start working!” We have been working for quite some time, like bees and ants, striving to bring miracles, joy, and emotion.
CN: Ahead of us is a festival titled Mulțumesc (“Thank you”), not Thanks!, let’s make things clear. It is “Thank you”. I would love it for Romanians to reclaim this word for giving thanks, “mulțumesc”, and recalibrate the content of our vocabulary.
CC: For them to give it its natural consistency.
CN: What is the “achievement” of this year’s edition compared to the previous ones? First of all, the very fact that, in a time of crisis, you manage to carry forward such a festival is, in itself, an achievement. To continue is an achievement. To say “thank you” in a world where everyone insults each other is an achievement.
CC: The achievement is that, edition after edition, we have set out to grow. The fact that in the 31st edition we managed to do more than in the 30th, when we celebrated the miracle of 30 editions. The fact that in the current edition, Mulțumesc, we have more locations and more performances than last year, despite it being such a difficult period, when all subsidies have been cut, everything is three times harder, and every cost is almost double compared to last year. To all these achievements, I add the fact that, for five years, we have kept the same ticket prices – between 30 and 150 lei, exactly as they were before the pandemic. Since 2019, we have not increased the prices, even though conditions have changed drastically.
A festival goes beyond the financial aspect, it is an achievement for the soul
CN: Aside from the financial aspect – since the cost of culture has become an obsession for many -, I always remind people that the absence of culture costs far more than culture itself. And now, as we shift into the realm of spirituality, or the intangible, it becomes clear that this is where the festival truly shines. In all other areas, expenses are inevitable. No royal court exists without sustaining the monarchy, that is to say, without the structure built around it.
You mentioned “more performances, more venues, more actors, more guests.” So, my question is: what does “more” mean, in fact? How many performances can we expect?
CC: First and foremost, we have strived to offer more performances for the general public, taking place in the Small Square, the Large Square, Habermann Square, Huet Square, along Bălcescu pedestrian street, in parks, and many other locations. For the first time in the festival’s history, we have achieved something truly unique: by April 10th, the entire program of the festival was made available online, giving audiences time to explore our offerings, discover what we bring, and experience the unique performances we propose.
At the same time, we have maintained affordable ticket prices – for young people, for intellectuals who may not have significant financial resources – so they can plan with family, friends, or even visitors from abroad, and set up their own schedule. “I’ll choose two or three shows in the squares, a performance in a church for reflection, this particular artist because I want to learn something, a little bit of dance, opera, or circus.” And then something extraordinary happened – something even we, after years of tracking these figures, never expected. On the first and second days, more tickets were sold than for the entire festival last year. It was nothing short of a miracle.
CN: I believe there is also this deep human need to unwind … in goodness as the ultimate Good.
CC: Yes, if you have someone reflect on their own well-being and realize that the unimaginable can become normality – exactly what Romanians have been waiting for in Romania for so long.
CN: But I believe this is not just the case in Romania. People everywhere are waiting for this. All of Europe seems tired. For this reason precisely, this year will, I think, bring a revolution through the marked presence of Japanese and Asian culture in general. The fact that you are bringing artists from so far away to the heart of Sibiu is a true victory.
CC: And we bring them on an equal footing, too. We’ll have Kuranosuke Sasaki, a legend of Japanese theater, who has agreed to perform in a Romanian play, Jonah; we’ll hear the psalms of Jonah sung in Japanese, set to the music of Vasile Șirli, on the text by Marin Sorescu. We will embark on a European tour before staging this performance at the festival, and only afterwards will it premiere in Tokyo. Then, Romania and Japan will go hand in hand with this production, based on a Romanian text, at the World Expo. What could be more honorable?
Furthermore, we are bringing Kathleen Turner to Sibiu, the head of the most important performing arts market, the Kennedy Center in New York. She will present a horse show at the hippodrome in Vasile Aaron neighborhood. I am convinced the venue will be packed with people eager to witness this miracle. This is the normality we have set out to achieve. Furthermore, everyone seems to be avoiding China these days – as if! But we cannot overlook the fact that it is currently the most powerful place in the world, second only to America. Just take a look at the season we are bringing from China.
Everything we present comes from top institutions, such as Jackie Chan’s troupe, which I have wanted to bring for years, ever since visiting the Shaolin temples. The 11 fighters have been trained by Jackie Chan since the age of two, as part of an elite company that he has taken across the globe. Forming these strategic relationships is, I believe, a formula for well-being, a way of working with a vision for the future. This has nothing to do with artificial intelligence, bombs, or weaponry; this is about human relationships, about personalities and masters who will shape the future of this world.
CN: I have recently read an older text by Cardinal Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI, where he stated that “the common good exists only as long as every individual in the community is well.” What is the added value of goodness that the festival brings to the community?
CC: The opportunity to discover uniqueness and beauty in every artistic expression we showcase. Why should you come to Sibiu? Because nowhere else will you find such performances and personalities gathered in one place. And for that moment when we manage to harmonize our emotions and thoughts, together with all our guests, in order to say a big “thank you” for being on this Earth. We have no merit for the life we have been given, and it is only natural to say “thank you” to the clear sky, the sun, the moon, the land, the water, and the air. To those next to us, to our partners, and even to our adversaries.
CN: To the adversaries as well, for they, too, help us grow. It is a hostile time. The festival acts like a bandage over these months of lack of perspective and bitterness. The truth is that helping restore the expression “thank you” in our everyday vocabulary may be the festival’s most important mission. In fact, there are a thousand ways to say “thank you” and that is the very essence of it: how can we convey to the community of Sibiu that “thank you” is a valuable expression and a valuable attitude?
CC: Sibiu has already understood the complexity and value of the festival. The fact that we are working alongside Lucian Blaga University and the Academy of Land Forces, and that we have managed to establish the University Festival within the larger event, speaks volumes. 30 universities are involved, giving young people the opportunity to meet masters who deliver workshops dedicated to them. We also have the International Doctoral Platform, with around 35 universities from across the world, including some of the top 300 in global rankings.
This means we are bringing together research, education, and creativity in a way that fosters meaningful growth. Behind it all stands the strength of volunteers—tens of thousands competing for the 500 available positions. Many young people from outside Romania come here and are hosted by families in Sibiu; they live together for two weeks and have a unique experience. They engage in dialogue, ask questions, and reflect on topics like artificial intelligence and how we, as humans, can harness the power to carry forward the miracle of creation. A miracle we also fear, seeing AI as a potential adversary, precisely because it can accumulate millions of times more information than the human mind. But within us also lies the power to give it meaning.
How Thank you heals us of manipulation
CN: “Thank you” is not an expression of manipulation, but one that puts an end to it. The person who has the courage to say “thank you” understands their own limits.
CC: It is also an act of acknowledgment. The moment we have within us the strength to say “thank you” while looking the other person in the eye or seeking the inner depths of our being, we, as partners, spectators, or passersby stopping in wonder at what unfolds on a street, see the impact of a silent or spoken “thank you”, which will undoubtedly resonate with us, and something good will happen within us if only for a minute.
Oana Ciucă Lázár: I have asked you before, but now I ask you specifically: whom at the beginning of your career do you personally thank? Constantin Chiriac, the man, the actor, the festival president, which are the key names that have shaped your journey over time?
CC: First of all, I give thanks to God, to Lord Jesus Christ, because in the most difficult moments – through loneliness, helplessness, lack of information or support – I have always found strength in faith. These are not just empty words; they are testimonies that affirm the existence of the Festival in Sibiu, everything that has been built over time here at the National Theatre, at the Culture Factory, through performances, in the remarkable transformation of Sibiu itself, and in all the encounters that God intermediated for me. For no matter how brilliant I may think I am at times, my mind alone could never have innovated so quickly or discovered these paths.
Of course, I also thank my family, my lineage – because it is a true lineage. As I have said before, my father had 17 siblings, my mother had 16, and when you come from such a vast family, you start tracing your genealogical tree that dates back to the 1600s, constantly growing and evolving. I am deeply grateful to my extraordinary teachers in primary school, who taught me the alphabet, reading, writing, arithmetic, and all the principles of common sense. I also thank the high school I attended in Iași, which is a prestigious institution that shaped me and gave me wings. I am thankful to everyone who has understood, even in part, what it means to create large projects and carry them forward. At the same time, I appreciate all those who have lent their support, but I also thank those who did not obstruct the progress and simply allowed the vision we brought to Sibiu to flourish.
CN: Knowing you as I do, you also give thanks to your adversaries.
CC: Certainly. Certainly, because perhaps otherwise I wouldn’t have maintained my vigilance, I wouldn’t have had the foresight that constantly drives me forward. I anticipated that this year would be difficult, which allowed me to plan ahead, setting aside resources to ensure continuous growth. At the same time, the misfortunes we faced – because it truly was a misfortune – such as the cancellation of the first round of elections, came with financial costs greater than the Ministry of Culture’s entire annual budget. It was to be expected that we would have a difficult time, so I devised a strategy to ensure that, when we have major events – like this co-production of Jonah – I would have resources coming from private sectors, rather than the usual funding pools where everyone applies to organize their events.
The acoustics of “thank you”
OCL: Father, what resonance does “thank you” have for the soul?
CN: It is an integral part of the Eucharist. “Thank you” is not just an expression, it carries an entire cascade of meanings within it. From the child who does not yet speak but whose gaze expresses gratitude as they are nurtured, to the elder who no longer speaks but whose eyes thank you for sharing communion, for being by their side, for offering comfort – “thank you” comes in countless forms. In fact, the essence of the International Theatre Festival is to teach the billions of ways in which “thank you” can be expressed – not just through the expression itself, but through its true meaning. Even the gratitude of a dog is deeply valid in a world where people sometimes behave worse than animals, forgetting a “thank you” that honors the gift of life. The expression “thank you” holds value for memory. Whoever remembers to say “thank you”, remembers their history. Ultimately, the greatest “thank you” is the one that stands against the forgetfulness of cultural memory, in which we have lingered for years.
OCL: Mr. Chiriac, have you ever felt that Sibiu has said “Thank you” to you? Have you had a moment where you were able to truly receive that gratitude with an open heart?
CC: Sometimes, late at night, when I need to let my driver rest, I take a taxi home. I scroll through my phone during the trip, and upon arrival at my destination, I instinctively reach into my pocket to pay. And many times, the driver has said to me, “Mr. Chiriac, you don’t have to pay.” That is a form of “thank you” and one that I feel deeply.
Yes. Recently, I was taking an evening stroll when a man stopped me. “Good evening, Mr. Chiriac!” “Good evening! How can I be of assistance?” I replied, as I usually do when I don’t recognize someone. And then he said: “I’ve never stopped you before because I didn’t dare. But now, since it’s dark, I finally feel comfortable sharing my story. I was working in the ambulance service during the Revolution. I was wearing a fluorescent vest and I was standing in front of the theater. It was chaotic – helicopters, gunfire… Then you came out of the theater and said to me: “Take that thing off, it makes you an easy target!” I replied that I was cold. And then, you brought me inside, gave me a sweater and a robe from your dressing room.”
OCL Such moments undoubtedly carry an enormous emotional weight for you.
CC: After 36 years, to have someone come up to you and say, “You saved my life. Thank you!” – that is priceless.
CN: “Thank you” lifts a person from the position of a target and places them in a position of joy. That is exactly what the festival does – it frees people from being victims of manipulation and restores their happiness. But our problem today is not just the lack of bread. It is said that a poor person will choose bread over freedom. Yet, I believe we must teach people to cherish freedom: the freedom to create, to be happy, and to be a source of joy for others.
Theater as urban lung, speech on stage as cardiac resuscitation.
OCL: Have you ever imagined what Sibiu would be like without theatre?
CN: In healthy cities, theatre is like a lung – it reveals the cultural breathing dysfunctions of the city. A cathedral has a different purpose: it sets the pulse for survival, it is like an ICU. Theatre does not heal completely, but it prepares you for the healing process. Perhaps, apart from school, theatre and the church remain the most important elements in shaping a person. A child who has been well-educated, who has experienced theatre – including philarmonics, opera, as well as other forms of art – and who has been gently introduced to God, is a child saved.
CC: Salvation comes through education. Look at the counties in Romania where the situation was dire: how people vote, what their educational levels are… A society cannot function without a natural hierarchy and true masters – not those with bought diplomas, but genuine masters, whether in academia or in specific professions. You may have a master glassblower, but a young apprentice entering the workshop cannot become a master overnight. Respect for order is essential. A community is truly a community only when it has rules – both written and unwritten.
CN: And when it can say “thank you”.
Following such dialogues one never parts with sadness. A wind of optimism refreshes the heart, and you can start all over again in search for a “thank you” that can guide the world away from darkness. I know that on the day before the Festival begins, I will step into the sacred Altar of the Metropolitan Cathedral, accompanied by Constantin Chiriac and together, we will say a great, immense “Thank You” to God. For He allows us to be participants in a miracle every single day, namely the miracle of our lives, through which we can bring light to the lives of others – near and far alike.
Translation: Adina Pop-Coman, credit photo: Alexandru Condurache
