Grigore Maior şi primele încercări de inaugurare a unui teatru românesc
Grigore Maior and the First Inauguration Attempts of a Romanian Theatre

Summary/Abstract: In our article, we refer to the first attempts for the birth of the Romanian theater. It is about the school of theatrical performances that took place between December 24, 1755 - January 6, 1756 in Blaj, Sebeş, Alba Iulia, Vinţ, Cut and was undoubtedly related to the name of the Greek-Catholic bishop, Grigore Maior (b. 1715 in Sărăuad, Solnocul de Mijloc county, today Satu Mare county - d. 1785, Alba Iulia). This is the one that organized the shows known as comoedia ambularia alumnorum and which represent the first attempts at cult school theater in the Romanian area. During his episcopate, the dramatic comedy Occisio Gregorii in Moldavia Vodae tragedice expressa (The murder of Grigore Vodă in Moldavia presented in the form of a play) was also written, considered the oldest preserved Romanian theatrical play.Related to the personality of Bishop Grigore Maior, it should be mentioned his contribution to the only translation of the Vulgate in our ancient culture, the “Bible of Petru Pavel Aron”, the creation of a dictionary and a grammar work, published under the title Institutiones lingvae valachicae, Lexicon compendarium latino-valachicum. Doctor in theology and philosophy of the “De propaganda fide” college in Rome, he became the first Transylvanian teacher, but also the first Romanian librarian, being given the care of the library of the newly founded school, which became famous, in Blaj. The Theological Seminary in Blaj, the cathedral (without the two towers), the Romanian-United Church in Sibiu, built at his expense, are also linked to his name.After the opening of the first schools in the Romanian language, being aware that the use of the national language is a main objective in the liberation and self-determination of the nation, Grigore Maior initiates the first performances in the Romanian language. He was helped in his endeavor by didascalus latinus Zacharias (Zacharia) and Basilius Caecus (Vasile Orbul), teachers and 13 students-interpreters.Therefore, we can say that the Romanian school theater in Transylvania, even in Romania, debuts precisely in Blaj, during the winter vacation of the school year 1755-1756, the town of Blaj, being able to be considered, on the basis of approved documents and research, as the cradle of the national theatre.

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