Mihaela Runceanu
Encyclopedia
Mihaela Valentina Runceanu (4 May 1955, Buzău
- 1 November 1989, Bucharest
) was a Romania
n pop singer and vocal techniques teacher. She became a successful vocal singer, her voice being highly appreciated in Romania. Many of her songs were hits, and she released two albums, Mihaela Runceanu and Pentru voi, muguri noi, the latter only one day before she was murdered in her home in Bucharest.
, where she started school. After moving back to Buzău, Mihaela attended the Music and Plastic Arts High School there. Upon finishing high school in 1974, she went to Bucharest
to attend the Ciprian Porumbescu Music Conservatory
, from which she graduated in 1978.
After graduation, she taught violin
at the music school in Brăila
and then moved back to Buzău to teach violin at the Music and Plastic Arts High School, where she had been a student. In Buzău, she sang in a band
, together with Laurenţiu Cazan and George Nicolescu
, among others. In 1980, she took a position of vocal technique teacher at the Popular School of Arts in Bucharest, which she held until her death in 1989.
During her time in Bucharest she launched several hits, including De-ar fi să vii, Tu nu vei şti niciodată and Viaţa începe cu tine. In early December 1987, her first album, titled Mihaela Runceanu was released by Electrecord
. Her second album, Pentru voi, muguri noi was released 31 October 1989, one day before her death.
). After Mihaela went to sleep, Ştefănescu entered her bedroom and smothered her with a pillow. He then stole jewelry, electronics, and some other items that were difficult to obtain in Romania at the time, such as meat, imported cigarettes, and gasoline
. He used some of the gasoline to set fire
to the apartment.
The murderer was discovered by the investigators the next day and subsequently put on trial. In 1991, he was sentenced to 21 years of imprisonment.
In 2006 he was released for good behaviour.
Mihaela Runceanu's tomb is located in the Dumbrava Cemetery in her home town, Buzău.
Romanian National Television
show, few Romanians were aware of her death two months before. Due to the restricted coverage of the murder in the communist media, many rumor
s emerged and circulated about the circumstances of her death, including one about the murderer being Nicu Ceauşescu
or another member of the Ceauşescu family
] and another about a young man found drowned in a Bucharest lake with a note confessing Mihaela Runceanu's murder.
After the Romanian Revolution of 1989
, more information about the circumstances of her death were revealed, and details of the murderer's trial appeared in a local Buzău newspaper in 1990. Later, Nicolae Peneş wrote two books about Mihaela Runceanu, containing her biography as well as details of Ştefănescu's trial published in 1990.
An annual pop music festival is held in Buzău
. It is named The Mihaela Runceanu music festival in honor of the late pop singer.
In 2004, Electrecord
released an 18-song compilation of Mihaela Runceanu hits.
Buzau
The city of Buzău is the county seat of Buzău County, Romania, in the historical region of Wallachia. It lies near the right bank of the Buzău River, between the south-eastern curvature of the Carpathian Mountains and the lowlands of Bărăgan Plain.The city's name dates back to 376 AD when the name...
- 1 November 1989, Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
) was a Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n pop singer and vocal techniques teacher. She became a successful vocal singer, her voice being highly appreciated in Romania. Many of her songs were hits, and she released two albums, Mihaela Runceanu and Pentru voi, muguri noi, the latter only one day before she was murdered in her home in Bucharest.
Childhood and education
Mihaela Runceanu was born in Buzău, but, soon after, her parents moved to BacăuBacau
Bacău is the main city in Bacău County, Romania. It covers a land surface of 43 km², and, as of January 1, 2009, has an estimated population of 177,087. The city is situated in the historical region of Moldavia, at the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains, and on the Bistriţa River...
, where she started school. After moving back to Buzău, Mihaela attended the Music and Plastic Arts High School there. Upon finishing high school in 1974, she went to Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
to attend the Ciprian Porumbescu Music Conservatory
National University of Music Bucharest
The National University of Music Bucharest is a university-level school of music located in Bucharest, Romania. Established as a school of music in 1863 and reorganized as an academy in 1931, it has functioned as a public university since 2001...
, from which she graduated in 1978.
Career
She started singing in high-school, and her debut took place in 1976 with a song that was broadcast on the radio. In 1975 and 1976 she participated in several music competitions and festivals. One of her songs was recorded on a Romanian 1976 hits LP.After graduation, she taught violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
at the music school in Brăila
Braila
Brăila is a city in Muntenia, eastern Romania, a port on the Danube and the capital of Brăila County, in the close vicinity of Galaţi.According to the 2002 Romanian census there were 216,292 people living within the city of Brăila, making it the 10th most populous city in Romania.-History:A...
and then moved back to Buzău to teach violin at the Music and Plastic Arts High School, where she had been a student. In Buzău, she sang in a band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
, together with Laurenţiu Cazan and George Nicolescu
George Nicolescu
George Nicolescu is a blind Romanian musician.Born in Ploieşti, Nicolescu has four sisters. He attended the Bucharest School for Amblyopia Patients , middle school and high school and the School for the Blind in Cluj...
, among others. In 1980, she took a position of vocal technique teacher at the Popular School of Arts in Bucharest, which she held until her death in 1989.
During her time in Bucharest she launched several hits, including De-ar fi să vii, Tu nu vei şti niciodată and Viaţa începe cu tine. In early December 1987, her first album, titled Mihaela Runceanu was released by Electrecord
Electrecord
Electrecord is a Romanian record label founded in 1932. It served as the only record label in Communist Romania. It was then transformed into the national recording company, following the centralization-oriented socialist doctrine...
. Her second album, Pentru voi, muguri noi was released 31 October 1989, one day before her death.
Death
On 1 November 1989, a personal friend of hers, Daniel Ştefănescu, visited her and insisted that they watch a videotape he had obtained (at the time, video material circulation was severely restricted by the communist governmentCommunist Romania
Communist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions...
). After Mihaela went to sleep, Ştefănescu entered her bedroom and smothered her with a pillow. He then stole jewelry, electronics, and some other items that were difficult to obtain in Romania at the time, such as meat, imported cigarettes, and gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
. He used some of the gasoline to set fire
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
to the apartment.
The murderer was discovered by the investigators the next day and subsequently put on trial. In 1991, he was sentenced to 21 years of imprisonment.
In 2006 he was released for good behaviour.
Mihaela Runceanu's tomb is located in the Dumbrava Cemetery in her home town, Buzău.
Legacy
Her death did not receive a large media coverage due to communist censorship, therefore when she starred in the New Year's EveNew Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
Romanian National Television
Televiziunea Româna
Televiziunea Română , more commonly referred to as TVR , is the short name for Societatea Românǎ de Televiziune ; acronym: SRTV. SRTV is the national state-owned public service television broadcaster of Romania...
show, few Romanians were aware of her death two months before. Due to the restricted coverage of the murder in the communist media, many rumor
Rumor
A rumor or rumour is often viewed as "an unverified account or explanation of events circulating from person to person and pertaining to an object, event, or issue in public concern" However, a review of the research on rumor conducted by Pendleton in 1998 found that research across sociology,...
s emerged and circulated about the circumstances of her death, including one about the murderer being Nicu Ceauşescu
Nicu Ceausescu
Nicu Ceaușescu was the youngest child of Romanian leader Nicolae and Elena Ceaușescu. He was a close associate of his father's political regime and considered the President's heir apparent.-Life during Communism:...
or another member of the Ceauşescu family
Ceausescu family
Nicolae Ceauşescu, who led Romania from 1965 to 1989, had a large family, several members of which wielded influence in Communist Romania. Below are given outlines of his immediate family members' lives, with links to those who have separate articles about them....
] and another about a young man found drowned in a Bucharest lake with a note confessing Mihaela Runceanu's murder.
After the Romanian Revolution of 1989
Romanian Revolution of 1989
The Romanian Revolution of 1989 was a series of riots and clashes in December 1989. These were part of the Revolutions of 1989 that occurred in several Warsaw Pact countries...
, more information about the circumstances of her death were revealed, and details of the murderer's trial appeared in a local Buzău newspaper in 1990. Later, Nicolae Peneş wrote two books about Mihaela Runceanu, containing her biography as well as details of Ştefănescu's trial published in 1990.
An annual pop music festival is held in Buzău
Buzau
The city of Buzău is the county seat of Buzău County, Romania, in the historical region of Wallachia. It lies near the right bank of the Buzău River, between the south-eastern curvature of the Carpathian Mountains and the lowlands of Bărăgan Plain.The city's name dates back to 376 AD when the name...
. It is named The Mihaela Runceanu music festival in honor of the late pop singer.
In 2004, Electrecord
Electrecord
Electrecord is a Romanian record label founded in 1932. It served as the only record label in Communist Romania. It was then transformed into the national recording company, following the centralization-oriented socialist doctrine...
released an 18-song compilation of Mihaela Runceanu hits.