On June 16th 2006 the Embassy of Romania to Washington DC hosted the launching of the book and CD „Eminescu – Eternal Longing, Imposible Love” featuring translation by Adrian Sahlean.
The launching coincided with the closing of the photography exhibition “An American in Romania” by American photograph Peter Kayafas, who presented at the Embassy during 4 mai – 16 iunie a series of 30 photographs taken in Romania in 2003, 2004, 2005. A segment of the exhibition features photographs from Sapanta Cemetery that were accompanied by English translations of the epitaphs signed by Adrian Sahlean.
Representatives of the US administration, Romanian Community, the academic milieu and mass-media attended the event.
„Eminescu – Eternal Longing, Imposible Love” project’s goal is to promote the genius of poet Mihail Eminescu (1850-1889) to the English speaking world. It covers Mr. Sahlean’s award winning translations featuring noted Boston’s ART actor Jeremy Geidt as narrator and music accompaniment by acclaimed Romanian concert pianist Horia Mihail.
Mr. Sahlean’s translations, published as a bilingual edition in Romania by 'Universe' Press (2000) under the title “Eminescu -Selected Poems/Poezii Alese," have since been awarded the 'Eminescu' Gold Medal, the grand prize of the LiterArt XXI International Writer’s Association, and received international attention by reputed forums such as the ‘Literary Research Review - Recherche Littéraire Revue.’
Through the years, they have inspired various contemporary American artists: composer William Toutant wrote music for baritone and piano (Glossa - 2003); composer Dino Ghezzo wrote and directed a multi-media show at the NYU international festival (2005); poet Bill C. Cross wrote a contemporary variation on Eminescu’s “Ode In Ancient Meter”; finally, Eminescu’s masterpiece “The Evening Star’ was made into CD by Prince Radu of Hohenzollern-Verigen (2002) and performed recently as an experimental dance-and-theatre production Off-Broadway (NY, 2005).
For more information on the „Eminescu – Eternal Longing, Imposible Love” book and CD please access www.luceafarul.com