The great drama of the actress Silvia Popovici. What were the consequences of marrying a communist official?

The great drama of the actress Silvia Popovici. A name unfairly forgotten today is that of this artist synonymous with grace, delicacy, beauty, but also the depth that hid, from one point, an immense sadness.

He was part of the “golden generation” of the Romanian theater, and on May 7th he will be 91 years old.

The great drama of the actress Silvia Popovici. What were the consequences of marrying a communist official?

The fate of Silvia Popovici was in the balance many times during her life. And the first time happened right at his birth, on a day of May 7, 1933, right on a wooded mountain in the village of Fundata, Brașov, a locality located between Piatra Craiului and Bucegi.

Her mother had gone home alone from a wedding, so as not to spoil the fun of the wedding guests, but on the way, she was taken by the pains of childbirth.

He took it through the forest trying to get to the village, at Fundata, faster, but he didn’t succeed.

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She gave birth there, on the mountain, next to a fir tree, helped by a woman who was tending sheep nearby.

The second has a balance appeared very soon. The mother of the future actress died, then her father died.

This is how six orphans remained in the family, the youngest being the girl born in the forest, Silvia Popovici.

The children were spread among relatives, at the age of 2, Silvia being adopted by an aunt who took her to Bucharest.

She was not aiming for an actress career, but, according to her own confessions, she dreamed of becoming “if not a doctor, then a psychologist, if not a psychologist, then a singer, if not a singer, at least a pedagogue”.

But two people passionate about culture and the discovery of new talents, teacher Maria Verdeș and Roger Georgescu, “pushed” the high school student towards acting.

With George Motoi in the movie “Transient Loves” (1974) – Photo: Facebook/Cineclic

That’s how she ended up as a student at IATC, where she would be part of what many call the “golden generation of Romanian theatre”, having, among her colleagues, future huge names of theatrical and cinematographic art, such as: Gheorghe Cozorici, George Constantin, Sanda Toma , Amza Pellea, Constantin Rauțchi or Victor Rebengiuc.

When she was in her third year, she was discovered by director Iulian Mihu, who cast her in the movie “La mere” (1953), an adaptation of a short story by Chekhov.

They followed the main role in “Bianca” (1955), the film directed by Mihai Iacob, in which he played alongside Iurie Darie, and “Hour H” (1956), directed by Andrei Blaier and Sinişa Ivetici.

Although at the end of the Institute he was offered to stay in Bucharest, he chose to go to Craiova, along with most of his colleagues, to work under the direction of director Vlad Mugur.

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The real fame came quite quickly, in 1960, after Silvi a Popovici embodied the famous soprano of Romanian origin, Haricleea Darclée, in the film called “Darclée”, in which the young Victor Rebengiuc, Ion Dichiseanu and Cristea also appeared Abraham.

Roles followed in “The Man Next to You” (1961) and “O ragode longu de o seàra” (1963), both directed by Horea Popescu.

The definitive consecration in Romanian cinema came with the debut of director Malvina Urșianu, who, in 1967, chose her to play the titular role in the film “Gioconda without a smile” (1968).

Silvia Popovici remained faithful to the director for a long time, playing in the films Serata (1971), “Trecătoare iubiri” (1974) and “The Return of Vodă Lăpușneanu” (1980), appearing in all three together with one of her favorite partners, from the point of view of artistic vision, George Motoi.

She also gained particular popularity among Romanians with the role of Oana in the TV series “Mușatinii”, the first Romanian television series, broadcast in 13 channels and directed by Sorana Coroamă-Stanca.

In the theater, he performed countless roles, of great complexity and value, on the stages of the Nationals in Craiova (1959–1963), Cluj (1963–1966) and Bucharest (1967–1993).

But, on a personal level, beyond the stage and filming sets, Silvia Popovici married a communist dignitary, Maxim Berghianu, two years younger than her. A member of the PCR since 1945, Berghianu held numerous leadership positions, from first secretary of Cluj and Ilfov counties, to those of minister in several periods, in different fields.

Silvia Popovici and her husband, Maxim Berghianu – Photo: Facebook/Spiritual Militia

The events of December 1989 caught him in the position of Minister of Tourism in the Constantin Dascălescu government (March 28, 1985 – December 22, 1989) and a member of the Central Committee of the PCR, where he had been since 1955.

But the marriage with Berghianu, even though it should have brought her a privileged status, turned out to be the third and biggest reward in the existence of Silvia Popovici.

It was not the marriage as such that was the problem, but the fact that Nicolae and, especially, Elena Ceaușescu did not take kindly to the relationship between a dignitary and an artist.

A similar thing happened to Violeta Andrei, married to the former communist foreign minister, Ștefan Andrei.

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After 1980, the actress no longer received the roles she deserved, appearing only in two rather obscure films.

Maxim Berghianu would tell the story in an interview conducted by Octavian Silivestru, in 2002, three years before his death.

“The party leadership had a hostile attitude towards Silvia Popovici. Hostile is an understatement! Ceausescu officially asked me that Silvia stop doing theater and films.

First through (prime minister Ion Gheorghe) Maurer: “It would be good.” [ca Silvia Popovici] to enter education, to stop doing theater and film, because Nicu (no – Nicolae Ceaușescu) has big thoughts for you!”

I say: “Comrade Maurer, when I joined the party, I didn’t join for anyone’s thoughts, I didn’t expect any positions or positions.” I entered out of conviction!

Ceausescu opposed me marrying Silvia. He told me: “Any profession, doctor, engineer, whatever you want, but not artist”! I don’t know why he was so turned on”, said the ex-husband of the artist.

Berghianu also confirmed the fact that the Ceaușescu family banned Silvia Popovici.

Silvia Popovici died in 1993, at only 60 years old – Photo: Facebook/Studiourile Buftea

“When I got married (no – to Silvia Popovici) I knew that I would have difficulties. And Silvia, who is a very wise man, told me: “Maxim, we will both suffer, because I come from one world and you come from another”.

But there was a strong feeling between us and we got married. Some time passed, Silvia made another film or two.

One Saturday, I was with Manea Mănescu (no – prime minister between 1974 – 1979), who said to me: “You know, Comrade Berghianu, I have to tell you some rather unpleasant news!” Comrade Ceausescu asked that Comrade Silvia stop making theater and films!” “Go, sir! This is your invention”. “You don’t believe me?” ,,Not!” “Come to the comrade general secretary!”.

We went. And I say: “Comrade Ceauşescu, look what Manea Mănescu says, that you would have told Silvia to stop doing theater and films”. He says: “Yes!”

“By what right, Comrade Ceausescu?” If you have something against me, judge me! You can find a thousand like me! But what do you have with Silvia? What do you have with her profession? She has a vocation for this job! She can’t live without theater!

She feels the need to unload herself in this job of hers! I cannot be a criminal with the man I love”, Beghianu also confessed in the interview quoted by rador.ro.

In fact, it was Elena Ceaușescu who decided that Silvia Popovici would no longer be cast in films, and the “comrade” could not resist her envy.

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Silvia Popovici would die in 1993 at only 60 years old. Her husband also hinted that the ban from playing hastened her end.

“Since 1967, she only slept with medication… she cried whole nights, because she lived for the theater! I just pulled her down and blocked her way. And for that I felt guilty”, Berghianu also said.

Silvia Popovici was aware of the ephemerality of the actor, especially in the theater, as she said in an interview given to Flacăra magazine in 1975, according to dosaresecrete.ro.

“We, the actors, have a very short life, we are the butterflies that are born today and die at night, forgive us that we are glorious today, but we die at night (…) the death of oblivion comes surely.

A book remains, a painting survives, but a role dies when the curtain falls.

My enemy no. 1 is time that flies without me being able to control it, without having been able to do anything with it. And we, the actors, sometimes stay too long.

Our years pass. Time is running out. We don’t have time. We hurry, we die at night”, said the great artist over whom, far too quickly and unfairly, the night of oblivion seems to have fallen.