Bucharest, the city that never sleeps

Foreign artists love Bucharest. They say that the pulse of this European capital feels at a rate that they like and that makes them love life in the “city that never sleeps.”

Noga is one of the many fans that Bucharest has among the foreigners living here. The 26-year-old woman was born in Haifa, Israel. Her second name, Ana-Maria, recalls the Romanian origins of his family. Precisely these origins made her seek her roots and come to Romania to become an artist.

Even though she was born and raised in Israel, Noga Ana-Maria Abramovici has always felt that her place is not there. Perhaps this feeling came out, maybe, as a result of his family’s history. The parents of the young woman emigrated to Israel more than 30 years ago, when Jews from all over the world sought their place in this young state. However, they did not forget their links with the country from which they left, and in the house where Noga grew up there was a strong Romanian influence.

Being part of a family with a love for art, Noga has been attending, since she was four, violin and piano classes, as well as dancing and painting classes. “In the end I realized that music is my destiny and that it is the only way I can express myself from all points of view. I never think about doing anything else in life,” says the young woman.

Bucharest is full of artists from all fields

As soon as she finished high school, at the age of 17, Noga wished to come to study in Bucharest. Unfortunately she could not implement this plan, so she had to go to the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance. At the age of 19, she began working, being employed in the Haifa Symphony Orchestra.

But she never neglected the projects that would support her to fulfill her dream of studying at the National University of Music Bucharest. “I have always felt the deep connection with my Romanian roots and I was sure that I will get to live here one day,” underlines the young woman.

It was not the only reason that pushed her to leave Israel. Noga claims that in her native country, culture is no longer valued as it should. Moreover, the young generation does not show any openness to classical music, so it is very difficult for an artist of her type to grow professionally. “I chose to get away from there and start a new chapter in my life. Bucharest was my first choice, especially since I really wanted to study with Professor Gabriel Croitoru, an excellent violinist and teacher, internationally renowned. I had the great honor to be accepted as one of his students, and today, besides the artistic projects in which I am involved, I study the violin at the National University of Music Bucharest ”, points out Noga.

Until she got to Bucharest, she didn’t really like the city. The first contact she had with life here scared her, because people seemed very agitated, nervous. “But over time I can say that I fell in love with Bucharest and started to like it a lot. I think that feeling developed as I met wonderful people, who showed me another side of the city. I like the people in Bucharest, they are very open. I also like that this city never “sleeps”, you always find what to do during the night,” says the violinist.

In addition, she discovered that Bucharest is full of artists from all fields, that “the city lives and breathes through art. I have the impression that all artists are connected to each other, that they respect each other. We, musicians, know each other and really help each other.”

“The young generation helped me integrate”

Coming to Bucharest meant a major change in her life. Noga decided not to equate her studies in Israel, so she started from the ground in the Romanian capital. “I wanted to study as much as possible with Professor Gabriel Croitoru, so I didn’t equate my studies. It was very difficult for me in my first year of college, especially since I was much older than my colleagues. I didn’t know anyone, I was afraid to speak Romanian because of the accent, but also for fear of making mistakes. I almost didn’t interact with anyone. The help came from this young generation in Romania who surprised me. The young people here are very open, receive you and help you integrate, help you with what you need. In the second year, I started to be known among the musicians and they invited me to sing with them. I thank Mr. Radu Chisu, the concert master of the Royal Camerata, who trusts me and calls me on every project with him,” says the violinist from Israel.

The young artist has many professional collaborations: she sings with the Romanian Youth Orchestra, but she is also involved in projects carried out by the George Enescu Philharmonic. It integrated perfectly into the artistic life of the Romanian capital, knowing many instrumentalists who supported her and recommended her for projects. “In Bucharest, where I started everything from the ground, a new life, I was not sure that I would succeed. Now I work with the best musicians, I have some of the best teachers and I play on the most important scenes in the city. I have many projects with some orchestras in Bucharest and abroad. In parallel, I study a lot to develop myself professionally”, confesses the young woman.

She wants to stay in Bucharest

Noga does not hide the fact that she wants to settle permanently in Bucharest. But until this dream is fulfilled, she enjoys everything that happens to her, and the moments of relaxation she spends at the Romanian Athenaeum, which she says is a place full of magic and energy, a mythical place, in which they study for hours feeling not even a bit tired. “At the Romanian Athenaeum, I feel that I lose myself to time and I feel that all the anguish and evil in the world are stopping. The energy in this place is incredible. Sometimes it scares me. From this place you leave with your mind and soul cleansed of all that is negative. It’s just a magical place.”

In her moments of silence she likes to “get lost” through the Old Center, another corner of Bucharest that she loves for the atmosphere, for the intergenerational mixture, for the cultural mix.

Cișmigiu Park is no stranger to her either. Being close to the Conservatory, this place helped her overcome many difficult moments. Here she “hid” when she had a hard time and felt alone.

She recognizes that nowhere in the world is it easy to live by art, but, from what she observed, Bucharest has an intense cultural life, with many concerts, with theaters, opera … It is a friendly city with young people, but also with foreigners.

“Art involves a lot of work. However, I think one can live from art. You do not live in great wealth, but you live happily doing what you love. I think the most important thing is to do what you love and what makes you happy. Art is the greatest gift that mankind has received. That’s why we have to appreciate it and support it,” says Noga.

Organized tourist routes

Following the experience that Noga gained in Bucharest, I asked Noga to tell me what should change in the image of the city. The young violinist pointed out, first of all, street cleaning as a problem to be solved. She also said that solutions should be found to add some color to the gray landscape generated by the communist blocks.

In a city with so many places to visit, Noga believes that it is necessary to arrange organized tourist routes, so that visitors have the opportunity to discover the real beauties of the city. In this regard, she indicates a tour organized at the historical monuments of the Romanian capital, but also the creation of a site in which all the possibilities offered by Bucharest are presented. “Apart from these small changes, I think that Bucharest meets all the requirements and wishes of tourists from all categories.”

Author: Ștefania Enache

Photo: Corina Gheorghe