MATEI VIŞNIEC

MATEI VIȘNIEC is a poet, playwright, novelist, journalist born in Rădăuți, in the north of Romania, on January 29, 1956. Minodora, his mother, a primary school teacher, was the first to open the magic door of literature and fairy-tales to him. As Romania was a communist country at the time, for Matei Vişniec literature became a space of freedom and subversion. He made his literary debut when he was still in school, by publishing his first volume of poetry in 1980. He strongly believed in resistance through culture and in the ability of literature to overthrow totalitarianism. În 1987 he chose the way of exile to France where he has become one of the best-known francophone dramatists. He has been working with Radio France Internationale for over 32 years. 

Matei Vişniec has penned several poetry volumes, six novels, a volume of short-stories and more than 60 plays published by Tracus Arte Publishing House in eight volumes. He is one of the few Romanian authors who write theater plays for children and adolescents. His plays for children were published by Arthur Publishing House and illustrated by Andra Bădulescu, a scenographer and graphic artist, who has been his life partner for over three decades.  

His plays written in French were published by the Lansman, Actes-Sud Papiers, Non Lieu, L’œil du Prince, Espace d’un Instant Publishing Houses. 

He has been awarded numerous prizes both in Romania and in France. A tireless cultural pilgrim, Matei Vişniec delivers speeches, participates in book launches, discovers his plays staged in more than 30 countries all over the world and builds cultural bridges between Romania and France, between the East and the West.

The municipal theater in Suceava, named after him, was founded in 2015.