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Nina Cassian Wurde Am 27.11.1924 in Galati, Rumänien Als Einzige Tochter Einer Jüdischen Familie Geboren

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Nina Cassian Wurde Am 27.11.1924 in Galati, Rumänien Als Einzige Tochter Einer Jüdischen Familie Geboren Cassian, Nina wurde ihr nahegelegt, aus politischen Gründen nicht mehr nach Rumänien zurückzukehren. Seither lebt sie auf Roosevelt Island in New York. Biografie Nina Cassian wurde am 27.11.1924 in Galati, Rumänien als einzige Tochter einer jüdischen Familie geboren. Ihr Vater, I. Cassian-Matasaru, war ein bekannter Lyriker und Übersetzer. Ihre Mutter sang oft Schubertlieder am Klavier, von ihrem Vater begleitet, so dass Nina früh mit Musik und Poesie in Berühung kam. Wenige Jahre nach ihrer Geburt zog die Familie nach Brasov, wo Nina auf die Prinzessin-Elena-Schule ging. Nach dem Schulab- schluss übersiedelten sie nach Bukarest, wo sie sich sech- zehnjährig für ein Studium der Literatur am Institut Pompilian der Universität immatrikulierte. Früh fand sie dort Zugang zu intellektuellen Zirkeln und wurde mit sechzehn Jahren Mitglied der Kommunistischen Jugend- organisation Rumäniens. Sie träumte davon, die „Welt aus allen grundlegenden Antagonismen zwischen den Ge- schlechtern, Rassen, Nationen und Klassen zu befreien“. (zitiert nach Lidia Vianu, „Censorship in Romania“, Budapest, 1998, S.38f.). Nina Cassian Unentschlossen, in welche Richtung ihr beruflicher Weg Nina Cassian führen sollte, bestand sie die Aufnahmeprüfung am Kon- servatorium für Musik und Deklamation in Bukarest, wo * 27. November 1924 in Galati, Rumänien sie fortan Klavier und Komposition studierte. In diese Zeit fallen auch ihre ersten literarischen Versuche, die be- Komponistin, Pianistin, Dichterin, Filmkritikerin, sonders von den bedeutenden rumänischen National- Journalistin, Übersetzerin dichtern Tudor Arghezi und Ion Barbu beeinflusst wa- ren. Letzterer, obschon neunundzwanzig Jahre älter, ver- „A poet never leaves his country, his native soil, his lan- liebte sich in seine junge Kollegin und begann eine Bezie- guage, of his own free will.” hung mit ihr. Nach dem Ende der Liaison heiratete sie 1943 den kommunistischen Dichter Wladimir Colin. (Nina Cassian, anlässlich ihrer ersten Amerika-Reise 1985 , zitiert nach “Cardinal Points”, Literary Journal: Nina Cassians erste literarische Veröffentlichung fiel ins www.stosvet.net/12/cassian/info.html) Jahr 1947, als sie mit einem kleinen Bändchen surrealer Profil Gedichte, „La scara 1/1“ (Der Maßstab 1/1), an die Öffent- lichkeit trat. Für dieses Buch wurde sie von der offiziel- Die längst als bedeutende Dichterin gewürdigte Nina Cas- len Kritik scharf angegriffen und als „dekadent“ gesch- sian schuf auch ein vielgestaltiges kompositorisches mäht. Sie reagierte eingeschüchtert und verfasste in den Werk, vor allem für Klavier solo, das es noch zu entde- Folgejahren nur mehr agitatorische Propagandadich- cken gilt. tung, die den Proletarierkult feierte, ganz im Sinne der Orte und Länder kommunistischen Parteidoktrin jener Jahre. Zusätzlich vereinfachte sie ihre Sprache und vermied jede metapho- Nina Cassian wurde im rumänischen Galati geboren und rische Komplexität im Dienste einer volksnahen Vers- studierte am Konservatorium in Bukarest. Während ei- tändlichkeit. ner Gastprofessur in New York Mitte der 1980er Jahre – 1 – Cassian, Nina Neben den parteitreuen Veröffentlichungen wie „Sufletul Schauspielmusiken an die Öffentlichkeit, zumeist für Kin- nostru“ (Unsere Seele) oder „Tinerete“ (Jugend), floh sie dertheaterstücke, so zu Jonathan Swifts „Gullivers Rei- zunehmend ins Reich der Phantasie und begann, Kinder- sen“. bücher zu schreiben. Diese wurden ihr auch zum Experi- mentierfeld, um ästhetisch Innovatives auszuprobieren. 1980 bekannte sie sich mit den „Tonal Fascinations“ für 1948 erschien ihr erstes erhaltenes musikalische Werk, Streichorchester wieder ganz zum tonalen Komponieren eine Sonate für Klavier und Violine, der gleich darauf ei- und ließ fortan experimentelle Techniken und ihre Be- ne kurze Sonatine für Klavier folgte. schäftigung mit Schönbergs Dodekaphonie in den Hinter- grund treten. Im selben Jahr ließ sie sich von Colin scheiden und heira- tete den zehn Jahre älteren Alexandru Stefanescu, mit 1982 erhielt sie den Preis der Bukarester Schriftsteller Ve- dem sie bis zu seinem Tod im Jahr 1985 zusammenblieb. reinigung für „De indurare“ („Vom Ertragen“). Nebenher gelang es Cassian, sich als bedeutende Überset- Drei Jahre später ermöglichte ihr ein „Soros“-Stipendi- zerin der Werke von Bertold Brecht, William Shakespea- um die Annahme einer Gastprofessur für Creative Writ- re, Christian Morgenstern und Paul Celan ins Rumäni- ing in New York an der New York University. Während sche einen Namen zu machen. Ihren Lebensunterhalt ihres Aufenthalts musste sie erfahren, dass ein enger verdiente sie jedoch vor allem als Journalistin, unter an- Freund, der Ingenieur, Dichter und Dissident Gheorghe derem für das Magazin „Orizont“. Ursu, verhaftet worden und an den Folgen gewalttätiger Befragungen verstorben war. Außerdem teilte man ihr 1950 entstand ihr erstes größeres Werk, die „Songs for mit, dass man in seinen Tagebüchern belastende Auf- the Republic“ für Chor und Orchester, dem 1955 die Sui- zeichnungen von ihr und über sie gefunden habe, z.B. ei- te „Grivita“ für großes Orchester folgt. Insbesondere im nige regimekritische satirische Gedichte, so dass an eine ersteren Werk war sie sehr darauf bedacht, den sowjeti- Rückkehr in ihre Heimat nicht mehr zu denken war. Sie sch fremdbestimmten Machthabern zu gefallen und de- beantragte und erhielt politisches Asyl in den Vereinig- ren Doktrin einer neuen Folklore zu folgen. ten Staaten von Amerika, wo weitere Gedichtsammlun- gen erschienen, u.a. in angesehenen Zeitschriften wie Ende der 1950er Jahre nutzte sie die politische Tauwet- dem „New Yorker“ oder der „American Poetry Review“. ter-Periode, um wieder zu ihrer eigenen dichterischen Finanziell über Wasser hielt sich Cassian vor allem mit Sprache zurückzufinden. Es erschienen Gedichtsammlun- Übersetzertätigkeiten. gen wie „Singele“ (Blut). Zu ihren zentralen Themen wur- den der menschliche Körper und die Leidenschaft, so- Bis zum Tode Ceauşescus wurde ihr Name aus der offizi- wohl im erotischen Sinne wie auch als Fähigkeit des Men- ellen Literaturgeschichtsschreibung Rumäniens getilgt. schen, Schmerzen zu erdulden. 1986 gab sie das Komponieren auf und widmete sich von Seit den 1970er Jahren wurden ihre Gedichte in viele nun an, ermöglicht durch ein Yaddo Fellowship und ei- Sprachen übersetzt, zuerst ins Französische, dann ins nen Fulbright Grant, ausschließlich ihrer Arbeit als Sch- Spanische, bald ins Deutsche. Schließlich auch von be- riftstellerin. deutenden Autoren wie Carolyn Kizer oder Stanley Kunitz ins Englische. 1998 erschien ihr erstes Buch, das sie vollständig in engli- scher Sprache verfasst hatte, eine Sammlung neuer Ge- Nach einigen Jahren, in denen vor allem kurze Klavier- dichte mit dem Titel „Take my word for it“. An die Seite stücke entstanden waren, schrieb sie 1975 mit der Sym- ihrer ständigen Themen wie Liebe, Leidenschaft und Ver- phonischen Suite für Kammerorchester „The Cat by Its- lust trat darin das Altern in den Mittelpunkt der Beschäf- elf“ wieder ein umfangreicheres Werk, in dem sie moder- tigung ne Kompositionstechniken mit folkloristischem Material Zur Zeit arbeitet Nina Cassian an ihrer Autobiografie. verband. Würdigung Ende der 1970er Jahre trat sie in Rumänien mit einigen – 2 – Cassian, Nina Nina Cassian war und ist eine außerordentliche Frau, ei- Musik für ein Puppenspiel: „Fearless Nicky“ für Kammer- ne vielseitig beschlagene und aktive Intellektuelle, die si- orchester (1979) ch neben ihrer Tätigkeit als Dichterin auch als Kritikerin, Übersetzerin und Komponistin hervorgetan hat, wobei „Tonal Fascinations“ - für Streichorchester (1980) ihr kompositorisches Schaffen stets im Schatten ihrer schriftstellerischen Tätigkeiten gestanden hat. Ihre eige- „Vivarium: Dezett“ - für 5 Stimmen und 5 Blechbläser nen Gedichte hat sie allerdings nie vertont. (1981) Für ihr künstlerisches Schaffen erhielt sie zahlreiche lite- rarische Preise, so 1969 und 1982 den Preis der Schrifts- 2 Liebeslieder a capella (1983) teller Gewerkschaft Rumäniens. “Variation Perpetua” - Klavierquintett (Vl, Vla, Vlc, Clar, Rezeption Pn) (1984) Die Würdigungen Nina Cassians als bedeutendste Dichte- rin Rumäniens nehmen ständig zu, besonders in den „The Magic Clarinet“ - für Klarinette und Klavier (1985) USA, dagegen ist ihr kompositorisches Schaffen völlig im Schatten geblieben, so dass von einer Rezeption nicht die „2 x 5 Fingers“ - Stück für Klavier (1986) Rede sein kann. Auch wenn ihre Werke in einschlägigen Lexika - wie z.B. ihr „Klavierquintett“, die „8 Préludes et Gedichtbände inventions“, die „Toccata“, die „Sonatine“ und ihre „Cap- rices“ in Peter Hollfelders „Klavier-Musik“ - Führer („Die La scara 1/1. Gedichte, Bukarest, 1947. Klavier-Musik“, Hamburg, 1999, S. 601) - in Einzeleinträ- gen genannt werden, ist ihre Musik weder auf Tonträ- Sufletul nostru. Gedichte, Bukarest, 1949. gern und nur vereinzelt in Notenmaterial zugänglich. An viu - nouă sute și șaptesprezece. Gedichte, Bukarest, Werkverzeichnis 1949. Kompositionen Nică fără frică. Gedichte, Bukarest, 1950. Sonate für Klavier und Violine (1948) Ce-a văzut Oana. Gedichte, Bukarest, 1952. Sonatine für Klavier (1949) Horea nu mai este singur. Gedichte, Bukarest, 1952. “Songs for the Republic” - für Orchester und Chor (1950) 8 Préludes et inventions - für Klavier (1954) Tinereț. Gedichte, Bukarest, 1953. „Grivita“ [Name eines Stadtviertels von Bukarest], Sym- Florile patriei. Gedichte, Bukarest, 1954. phonisches Gedicht für Orchester (1955) Versuri alese. Gedichte, Bukarest, 1955. Toccata für Klavier (1955) Vârstele anului. Gedicht , Bukarest,
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