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Singer-songwriter Tudor Gheorghe said on Tuesday, upon being presented the title of ambassador of national identity and traditions by the National Coalition for Romania's Modernisation (CNMR), for his entire activity in the service of Romania and Romanians, that he has never compromised his art at wedding or other parties.
"I have never compromised my art at any show or weddings. (...) I had the idea that my place is on stage, in the lime light. I have respected my mission, the talent God gave to me and I never mocked it. (...) I go on two national tours per year, I go places, I have staged a show called The Lesson, a plea to keeping the Romanian language tradition and I went to places where nothing happened for 30 years. (...) Unfortunately, I have been out of touch with official culture for long," Tudor Gheorghe told the award ceremony in Bucharest.
He went on to say that the awards he has so far received are "pushing" him "forward."
"So many beautiful things have been said about me in my life, I've been cursed at, too, but less often; I admit, if one is not cursed at it is not good, someone has to curse at you every now and then so that you realise that you still have things to do. The beautiful things you've said about me do compel me, the fact that I'm receiving this award is compelling me. I've been presented a lot of awards and all these are but a spring that pushes me forward. I've been always asked what is it that keeps me going, what makes me come before my audience with such a large stylistic, and not only melodic variety. (...) I've considered it is better to put myself in the service of great poetry. I have overcome my ego, I'd say, the ego of an Oltean [a man born in southern Oltenia historical province], but me to write love poetry, after reading a splendid poem by [classic Romanian writer Tudor] Arghezi, I'd better sing Arghezi's work, leave my poems later. (...) It is my attitude to the word in which I and you live," Tudor Gheorghe confessed.
CNMR Chairman Alexandru Cumpanasu said that Tudor Gheorghe has fathered a "work" which he has bequethed to Romanians by keeping originality of the Romanian folk music and traditions.
"Only a few do build for Romania, only a few people dedicate their lives to Romania. The choice we - the National Coalition for Romania's Modernisation - made (...) was to recognise the Romanian nation's values, and maestro Tudor Gheorghe is from where I stand one of the most important personalities Romania had and has," said Cumpanasu.
Also attending the award ceremony were President of the Academy of Scientists Adrian Badea; senior official with the Culture Ministry Alexandru Oprean; ambassadors of Georgia and Mexico Giorgadze Ilia and Jose Arturo Trejo Nava, respectively; Social-Democrat Senator Ecaterina Andronescu; journalist Ion M. Ionita and professor Anton Hadar.
