2009-11-10T09:53:00.001-08:00

piu grande Carmen della mia carriera
Giuseppe di Stefano
una ideale interprete di Amneris per la dinamica vocale e interpretativa di grande classe
Franco Corelli
una magnifica voce dall’unico fascino
Mario del Monaco
mezzosoprano dalla voce ed interpretazione singolari
Plácido Domingo

The greatest Romanian mezzo-sopranos of the 20th century Elena Cernei was born on 1 march 1924 in Bairamcea near Cetatea Alba (now Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi in Ukraine). She was the first Romanian mezzo-soprano with international career. The specialized press has greatly eulogized Elena Cernei's appearance on various stages, pointing to her remarkable voice and artistic personality. "The triumph of the evening undoubtedly went to mezzo-soprano Elena Cernei, who has an extraordinarily rich and beautiful voice" writes the newspaper "Le people" of Brussels, London "Music and Musicians" writes "Elena Cernei is really a great singer according to her highest international standards", New York Herald Tribune, USA - "...the Romanian-born Elena Cernei must be counted as this season's most arresting, if not most voluptuous Dalilah" . After retire Cernei settled in Rome with her husband, the physician and musicologist Dr. Stephan Poen, and in her later years taught voice and served on the juries of several singing competitions in Italy and Romania. Amongst her scholarly publications were L'enigma della voce umana (1987) and Et fiat lux (1999). Many of her performances in Romania were recorded on LP by Electrecord. A DVD documentary on her life and career (with extracts from live recordings of her performances) was issued by TVR Media in 2005.

Education and Early Career

Elena Cernei had a diploma in vocal music, musicology and opera direction obtained at the National Academy of Music in Bucharest.; There she studed with professors: maestro Constantin Storiescu, tenor with international career, student of great artist Jean de Reszke in Paris; Marcela Ionescu, piano and vocal music master, excellent for the musical arrangement of the repertoire; maestro Jean Ranzescu, first director at the Romanian National Opera House in Bucharest, for stage direction and acting, assisted by his wife, soprano Maria Ranzescu, student of the great artist Félia Litvinne; Elena Cernei had great activity as a soloist with the "George Enescu" Philharmonic and Romanian National Opera House in Bucharest, working with both during the first years of her career;She sang in eight foreign languages. During her career she approached all schools and styles of lyrical and symphonic vocal capability and unique stylistic versatility in the range of mezzo-soprano and contralto.

She had begun her musical activity before finishing her studies at the "Ciprian Porumbescu" Conservatory in Bucharest. While a 2nd year student Elena Cernei joined the "George Enscu" Philharmonic orchestra in Bucharest as solist, carrying on a very rich activity and appearing over 350 vocal-symphonic concerts in solo roles mezzo-soprano, such as : Verdi's Requiem, Mozart's Mass in C minor, Mozart's Requiem, Beethoven's Mass Solemnis, Bethovem's IX'th Symphony, Bach's Grosse Messa, De Falla's Amour Sorcier, and other great works by Khachaturian, Prokofiev, Thaikovsky, Mahler, Brahms etc. She also gave recitals interpreting various works of the most famous composers: Shubert, Schuman etc.

Owning to her superb voice and great artistic talent she became a first solist of the Bucharest Opera and Ballet Theater creating a considerable number of roles. She made her debut in Carmen in 1957 scoring a brilliant success. There followed another great successes in Auzena(Il Trovatore), Amneris (Aida), Octavian(Der Rosenkavalier), Kneaghina(Rusalka ) by Antonín Dvorák, Polina(The Queen of Spades), Maria Doamna(Prince John the Terible) by G.Dumitrescu, Ulrica (A Masqued Ball), Dalilah(Samson et Dalila), Marina(Boris Godunov), Orpheus(Orpheus by Gluck), Jacasta(Oedipe by George Enescu) etc.

International Career

Elena Cernei's activity is very rich around the world. The concerts, recitals, broadcasting, recordings, TV appearances as well as opera performances made her quickly acquire a highly praised reputation. She has toured to a various foreign countries among which: the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, Poland, Hungry, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, France, the German Democratic Republic, United States, Mexico, enjoying remarkable success.

Her brilliant international career started in 1963 on the occasion of the opening of the International Musical Week in France. Mezzo-soprano Elena Cernei appeared on the stage of the Grand Opera House in Paris, in the role of Amneris(Aida) under the baton of Georges Prêtre and developed with great rapidity. Elena Cernei often was invited to sing on the great lyrical stages of Europe("La Scala" of Milan, the "Grand Opera" of Paris, the "Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie" of Brusseis, the "Bolshoi Theater" of Moscow, the "Wiener Staatsoper" of Vienna, the festival of Prague, Wiesbaden, Athens etc.) and overseas, in the United States (at the New York "Metropolitan Opera House" and Mexico (at the International Musical Festival of Mexico City)). She sang under the baton of famous conductor such as Gianandrea Gavazzeni , Thomas Schippers, Zubin Mehta, Georges Prêtre, Hans Swarowsky, Fausto Cleva etc., in the company of the greatest opera stars as Renata Tebaldi, Birgit Nilsson, Leontyne Price, Franco Corelli, Richard Tucker, Giuseppe di Stefano, Jon Vickers, Carlo Bergonzi, Nicolai Gedda, Gabriella Tucci, Galina Vishnevskaya, Nicolae Herlea, Plácido Domingo, Virginia Zeani, Giangiacomo Guelfi, Piero Cappuccilli, Robert Merrill,Dimiter Uzunov etc.

Titles and Awards

1962, Bucharest: Honoured Artist of Romania;
1964, Paris: the Award of the French National Academy for the integral recording of the "OEDIPE" opera by Enescu;
1964, Tokyo: the Award of the Japonese NAtional Academy for the integral recording of the "OEDIPE" opera by Enescu;
1966, Mexico City: the "Gold Medal Giuseppe di Stefano" awarded by the Fine Arts Academy in Mexico City;
1970, Wiesbaden: the "Gold Pen of the Critic", awarded at the International Festival in Wiesbaden for the interpretation on Azucena's part in the "Trubadour"(Il Trovatore) by Verdy;
1985, New York: active member of the Academy of Science in New York, in recognition of her scientific interdisciplinary activity, as the first lyrical artists in the world to undertake such activity
1987, Sicily, Italy: at the "Vincenzzo Bellini" international Festival, the "Gold Plaquette" awarded for special merits in interdisciplinary scientific activity, on the occasion of the relese of her book "ET FIAT LUX" as well as for being a member and president of the jury on several occasions
1988, the International Festival "Vincenzzo Bellini" Sicily, Italy: the "Gold Plaquette" for special interdisciplinary scientific merits, on the occasion of the Italian version her boolk entitled "ENIGMAS OF HUMAN VOICE"
1989, Rome, Italy: awarded the International Prize and Gold Plaquette "Tito Gobbi", in recognition of
her international career and interdisciplinary scientific activity.
1990, Rome, Italy: awarded the International Prize and Gold Plaquette "Tito Schipa"
1991, Rome, Italy: awarded the International Prize and Gold Plaquette "Maria Caniglia"
1995, Rome, Italy: Honorable Member of the European Cultural and Scientific Academy
1997, Rovigo, the International
Society of Environmental Physicians: International Meeting on "Cooperation between the North and South; Climate Changes; International Waters; Ozon Holes; Biodiversity" -awarded the Gold
Plaquette for the merit of being the only lyrical artist in the world to act as interdisciplinary scientific researcher
1999, Bucharest, Romania: at the University of Music , awarded the title "Doctor Honoris Causa", for the entire artistic and scientific activity performed in the Romania and the world.

PRE-EMINENCE IN CAREER

The first Romanian-born mezzo-soprano in the entire world history of lyrical music on the greatest opera stages in the world: TEATRO ALLA SCALA IN MILAN, NEW YORK METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE (the last mezzo-soprano act as Amneris at the Old Metropolitan in the last performances of "Aida" before closing down, and the first as Amneris in the inaugural performance at the New Metropolitan); GRAND OPERA in Paris (75 years after Harlclea Daclee); WIENER STAATOPER, BERLINE DEUTSHE STAATSOPER, ACCADEMIA DES DELLAS ARTES in MEXICO CITY; GRAN BARCELONA, GRAN TEATRO DEL LICEU;

the first artist world-wide to perform as a librettist, director and first interpreter of an original opera in absolute premiere: the opening performance of the "DOAMNA CHIAJNA", by Buicliu, at the Romanian National Opera House in Bucharest, October 1973;
formulation for the first time in the world of the CEPHALIC PHASE OF NON-RINGING VOICE correlate with SUB-GLOTTIC PRESSURE, consciously guided as the SECOND TYPE OF BREETHING, with the FIRST METHOD OF PERSONALIZED SCIENTIFIC VOCAL MUSIC, 1980.
formulation for the first time in the world of certain phenomena concerning biogravity and biostructure, in studies and experiments she has been working on since 1984;
the first lyrical artist performing at the New York Metropolitan Opera who was awarded the distinguished title of Active Member of the Science Academy in New York

Other Activities

author of two books: "ENIGMAS OF HUMAN VOICE" (Bucharest, "Litera" Publishing House, 1982, and Rome, "Quo Vadis" Publishing House, 1988); and "ET FLAT LUX" (Rome, "Quo Vadis" Publishing House, 1987, and Bucharest, Encyclopedic Publishing House, 1999);
40 scientific papers presented in various international conferences on specialized topics; member of the jury in many famous international contests on vocal music, held in Italy and other countries;
interdisciplinary research work and experiments confirming all her hypotheses published in the Romanian version of her book "ENIGMAS OF HUMAN VOICE", Bucharest, 1982
successful practical application of theories dealing with preventive and oxygenation of the body, in close cooperation with specialized physicians, thus gathering a wide range of case studies, witch were developed in scientific and statistical specialty papers;
practical applications in field of vocal music pedagogy, presented in international conferences and festivals
together with Dr.Stephan Poen, she founded a new field of study, called CERNEI-POEN BIOLARYNGEAL-RESPIRATORY RYTHMOLOGY, meant to make best use of phonic capacity of the human body with view to helping diagnosis, preventive and curative treatment;
she founded the new field of CERNEI-POEN VOCAL BIO-TECHNICS, with spectacular results for the speaking and singing voice pedagogy at all professional levels, applicable to beginner students and great artists needing control and recalibration of their vocal performance;
active participation in all scientific and cultural events, with a keen focus on keeping Romanian included in the European and world-wide cultural environment.

Existed recordings

Date	Composition	Cast	Conductor and Orchestra	Place
1966.10.11	G.Bizet Carmen	Carmen - Elena Cernei Don José - Pedro Lavirgen Escamillo - Norman Treigle Micaela - Gilda Gruz-Romo Dancairo - Alberto Hammin Remendado - Marco A.Saldana Frasquita - Graciela Saavedra Mercedes - Dora de la Pena Zuniga - Federico Dacia' Morales - Palafox	Carlo Felice Cillario Chorus and Orcestra del Palacio de Bellas Artes	Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City
17.09.1964	W.A Mozart Le Nozze di Figaro	Il Conte Almaviva - Kim Borg La Contessa - Arta Florescu Cherubino - Elena Cernei Figaro - Dan Iordachescu Susanna - Magda Iordachescu Marcellina - Patricia Jonson Bartolo - Constantin Gabor Basilio - Cornel Rusu Don Curzio - Dimirtie Scurtu Antonio - Alexandru Badulescu Barbarina - Matilda Onofrei	Mihai Brediceanu Orchestra and Chorus of the Bucharest National Opera	Live broadcast recording International Festival George Enescu Bucharest
13.03.1966	G.Verdi Aida	Aida - Leontyne Price Radamès - Franco Corelli Amneris - Elena Cernei Amonasro - Sherrill Milnes Ramfis - Jerome Hines King - Raymond Michalski Messenger - Robert Nagy Priestess - Mary Ellen Pracht	Zubin Mehta Metropolitan Opera House Orchestra & Chorus	Metropolitan Opera House, New York
2.10.1968	F.Cilea Adriana Lecouvreur	Adriana Lecouvreur - Renata Tebaldi Maurizio - Plácido Domingo Princess di Bouillon - Elena Cernei Michonnet - Anselmo Colzani Bouillon - Lorenzo Alvary Abbé - Paul Franke Jouvenot - Colette Boky Dangeville - Nedda Casei Duclos - Skiles Fairlie Poisson - Robert Schmorr Quinault - Paul Plishka Major-domo - Edward Ghazal Dance - Patricia Heyes Dance - Tania Karina Dance - Carolyn Martin Dance - Ivan Allen Dance - William Breedlove	Fausto Cleva Metropolitan Opera House Orchestra & Chorus	Metropolitan Opera House, New York
?	C.Saint Saens - Samson et Dalila	Samson – Ludovic Spiess Dalila – Elena Cernei High Priest of Dagon – Dan Iordãchescu Abimelech – Constantin Dumitru An old Hebrew – Nicolae Florei First Philistine – Vasile Moldoveanu Second Philistine – Constantin Dumitru A messenger – Alexandru Tassian	Kurt Adler Chorus and Orchestra of Rumanian Radio-Television	Bucharest
20.03.1965	G.Verdi Aida	Aida - Birgit Nilsson Radames - Richard Tucker Amneris - Elena Cernei Amonasro - Robert Merrill Ramfis - Giorgio Tozzi King - Louis Sgarro Messenger Robert Nagy Priestess - Mary Ellen Pracht	William Steinberg Orchestra and Chorus of Metropolitan Opera	Metropolitan Opera House, New Yourk
15.09.1967	G.Verdi Don Carlos	Filipppo II - Nicolae Florei Don Carlo - Cornel Stavru Rodrigo - Nicolae Herlea Il Grande Inquisitore - Valentin Loghin Un Frate - Constantin Dumitru Elisabetta de Valois - Elena Dima-Toroiman Principessa Eboli - Elena Cernei Tebaldo - Ileana Cotrubas Conte Lerma - Vastile Moldeveanu Araldo - Marcel Angelesu Voce dal cielo - Maria Sindilaru	Alberto Erede Orchestra e Coro dell+Opera Nazionale Romena di Bucharest ,Maestro del Coro Cor: Stelian Olariu	Bucharest National Opera,International Festival „George Enescu”
04.10.1966	G.Verdi Aida	Amneris - Elena Cernei Aida - Elena Suliotis Radames - Pedro Lavirgen Ramfis - Federico Davia Amonasro - Giangacomo Guefi Il Re - Rogelio Vargas Un Messaggero - Alberto Hammin Una Sacerdotessa - Lucilla Columba	Nicola Rescino Sinfonica Nacional - Coro del Instituto Naticonal de Bellas Artes	Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City
10.09.1964	G.Verdi Aida	Amneris - Elena Cernei Aida - Marcella De Osma Radames - Ludovic Spiess(Debut) Il Re - Viorel Ban Ramfis - Valentin Loghin Amonasro - David Ohanesian Un Messaggero - Marcel Angelescu Una Sacerdotessa - Maria Crisan	Paul Popscu Orchestra and Chorus of the Bucharest National Opera, Chorus master Stelian Olariu	Bucharest National Opera,International Festival „George Enescu” broadcast recording

Recordings and Videos on Youtube

Gluck Orfeo ed Euridice
Bizet, Carmen - Sèguédille
Saint-Saens Samson et Dalila
Virginia Zeani & Elena Cernei - Duet Aida Act II - Verdi
Verdi, Don Carlo
Other recordings and videos on Youtube from Elena Cernei's husband - Dr. Stephan Poen

Photo Gallery