Nicolae Sulac

Nicolae Sulac (b. 9 September 1936, Sadâc, Cahul district – d. 2003, Chișinău) was one of the most cherished performers of folk music in the Republic of Moldova, considered a true rhapsode and a landmark figure of the national folklore. Raised in a predominantly folkloric environment in the south of Bessarabia, he spent his childhood in an orphanage and trained himself, drawing on the authentic source of folk song.

Artistic career

He began his artistic activity in 1959, within the „Doina” choral chapel. In 1965 he became a soloist of the „Fluieraș” ensemble, which launched numerous folk music performers from Moldova, and towards the end of the 1970s he was engaged as a soloist of the „Lăutarii” ensemble. Through his warm and unmistakable voice, Nicolae Sulac founded a genuine school in the performance of folk music.

His repertoire includes songs that have entered the golden collection of national folk music, such as „La o margine de drum” (At the Edge of a Road), „Dorul meu e numai dor” (My Longing Is Nothing but Longing), „Foaie verde sălcioară” (Green Leaf, Little Willow) and „Pe pământul nostru drag” (On Our Dear Land). His performances became reference points of Moldovan folklore, passed on from generation to generation.

Legacy

Over the course of his life he received numerous distinctions, among them the title of People's Artist and the „Order of the Republic”. Nicolae Sulac died in 2003 in Chișinău, following a stroke, and was buried at the Central Cemetery, where a bust was unveiled in his memory. Today an arts-profile lyceum in Chișinău bears his name, and since 2012 the National Palace in the capital has been renamed in his honour, perpetuating the memory of the great rhapsode of the nation.

The patriarch of folk song

Nicolae Sulac was considered a true patriarch of the folk music of Bessarabia, whose voice accompanied whole generations at celebrations, weddings and concerts. He gave performances on stages throughout the Soviet Union and represented Moldovan folklore abroad. Through his repertoire and his stage bearing he set a standard of authenticity and refinement. His memory is preserved through cultural institutions, monuments and festivals bearing his name, and he remains a symbol of Moldovan folk song.