On March 1, 2017 Eugen Doga celebrates his 80th birthday.

CONGRATULATIONS

This day started for Maestro Eugen Doga on March 1, 2017 at 12:25am at the Kishinev airport where he had arrived from Moscow. There, a surprise was awaiting him. Upon arrival, the composer was met with the sounds of his famous waltz from the film “My Sweet and Tender Beast” and greeted with flowers and congratulations by the Kishinev Mayor Dorin Kirtoake, the Director of the Department of Culture of Kishinev Lucia Kulev, the National Opera and Ballet Theater conductor Dumitru Kyrchumaru and the composer’s daughter, Viorica Doga. Dorin Kirtoake posted about it on his Facebook page: “Thank you for delighting us with your divine music. Undoubtedly, it is the best thing that will be recorded about usin the history of humankind.”

The waltz sounded many more times that day.

The celebration that had started so early continued at the Maestro’s house where in the early morning children from the Eugen Doga Music School came to greet him. The school is where he had started his music studies and had been given his name in 2007.

And at 12:00pm at the Moldova Parliament House a reception entitled “Eugen Doga’s 80th Spring” took place. The reception featured an exhibition of photographs, playbills and publications from Maestro’s personal archive as well as from the archive of the Academy of Science.

In his opening speech the Parliament Chairman Andrian Kandu said: “You are the best ambassador of the Republic of Moldova, of our people, because your music travelled the whole world long before the European Union agreement.”

Minister of Culture Monica Babuk stated: “He is loved in Moldova as well as in Romania and in Russian Federation and all over Europe, because his music is loved by all. There is no one who isn’t familiar with his work. We are glad to be your contemporaries. This person is a symbol of our culture.” 

Ambassador of Russia Farid Mukhametshin read out loud a congratulatory telegram signed by the President of Russia Vladimir Putin. “Accept our congratulations on your remarkable 80th birthday anniversary. Your talent, your creative energy, all your life you have devoted to music. Throughout the years of inspired work you have created outstanding pieces that are always recognizable and unique. They have rightfully become part of our cultural heritage. From the bottom of my heart I wish you health, success and all the best.”

A concert featuring Doga’s works performed by students from the K. Porumbescu, I. Kryange and S. Haret lyceums took place.

“Eugen Doga’s music unites people”, said the president of the Moldova Academy of Science George Duca. “Only such a great composer, a great genius, could have been born on March 1st, when everything opens up, everything blooms, becomes beautiful and loved.”

The event finished with a performance by the man of the hour and by Vasile Iovu, a pan flute performer and an old friend of the Maestro’s. 

Later on that day Moldova Post presented a personalized envelope “Eugen Doga: 80th Birthday.” The event was hosted by the Minister of Culture Monica Babuk and Kishinev Mayor’s Office. General Director of Moldova Post Sergei Nastas congratulated the composer and remarked that this envelope edition is one of the biggest events of the year. Sergei Nastas presented the composer with a copy of the envelope and a personalized postal stamp.

On that same day, in the capital, at the B.P. Hashdeu city library, a music and literature celebration dedicated to the composerwas held.

Meanwhile the waltz sounded again: young people danced to Eugen Doga’s waltz on Eugen Doga Street. 

Then, Toader Bubuiog Lyceum students danced to the same famous waltz in front of the Town Hall, after which the children along with Eugen Doga and the mayor released into the sky 80 red and white balloons that symbolize the Mertsishor holiday. In Moldova and Romania, the 1st of March is when Mertsishor,a holiday welcoming the beginning of spring,is celebrated. Red and white corsages are a symbol of the holiday.

Throughout the day Eugen Doga’s music sounded in trolleybuses of Kishinev.

All day long friends, loved ones, acquaintances and strangers congratulated the Maestro.

All day long programs about Eugen Doga were shown on TV, his music and his famous waltz from the film “My Sweet and Tender Beast” sounded all around.

The congratulations went on. PM of Russia Dmitri Medvedev congratulated the composer: “You are, without exaggeration, one of the brightest, most creatively gifted composers known and loved by millions. Your unique talent subjugates a whole variety of distinct music genres and styles: from opera to dance orchestra compositions.”

The President of Moldova Igor Dodon wrote in his congratulatory message: “You seek and find a source of inspiration everywhere: in nature, in folklore, in the memory and souls of people, transcribing into music thoughts and feelings that only the refinement of genius can transmit.”

Minister of Culture of Russian Federation Vladimir Medinsky congratulated the People’s Artist of the USSR, composer Eugen Doga, on his anniversary, stating that his work evokes the most positive and sincere emotions and is loved by millions of listeners: “The waltz from ‘My Sweet and Tender Beast’ has become one of the essential musical themes of the Olympic Games in Moscow and Sochi.”

The Mayor of Moscow Sergei Sobyanin congratulated the People’s Artist of the USSR Eugen Doga on his anniversary. In his congratulatory telegram he expressed that Eugen Doga has greatly contributed to the development of national and world culture. “You wonderful, exquisitely melodic songs, romances, waltzes and other works have conquered the hearts of millions of listeners in Russia and abroad, have enriched the golden collection of music art.”

President of the Film Composers Guild of Russia Vladimir Komarov on behalf of the Board of Union of Cinematographers of Russia wrote: “We congratulate you on your wonderful jubilee! We are happy to be your contemporaries, colleagues and friends! We are proud to have you on the Board of Directors of our Film Composers Guild of the Union of Cinematographers of Russian Federation! Interaction with you is a lesson in high professionalism, intelligence, deep understanding of the role of art and genuine interpersonal relationships.”

In the evening, the Maestro was honored during the concert at the National Palace dedicated to the opening of the main festival of Moldova: the International Music Festival Mertsishor, where some of his pieces were performed. The back wall of the stage was stylized at a huge rocket window through which stars and planets could be seen dashing by.

It might be that among those planets, with its orbit between Jupiter and Saturn, the planet named after the Maestro, DOGA (#10504), follows its course.

There many more events to come throughout this anniversary year: the staging of the ballet “Luceafarul”, concerts, exhibitions, creative meetings and more.

“Health and many more years to come, time. A lot of time, because there is much more to be done. I haven’t done the most important things yet and I’d like to accomplish them. I’d like to see embodied Veronica Micle and Mihai Eminescu’s “Dialogues of Love” and many other works that exist on paper but haven’t been voiced yet,” said the composer Eugen Doga about his plans.