Matei Millo (; November 24/25, 1814 – September 9, 1896) was a

Moldavia Moldavia (, or ; in Romanian Cyrillic alphabet, Romanian Cyrillic: or ) is a historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester River. An initially in ...

n, later

Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...

n stage actor and playwright. Born in Stolniceni-Prăjescu,

Iași County Iași County () is a county (județ) of Romania, in Western Moldavia, with the administrative seat at Iași. It is the most populous county in Romania, after the Municipality of Bucharest (which has the same administrative level as that of a cou ...

, his grandfather was the poet

Matei Milu Matei is a Romanian name. It is equivalent to the English name Matthew. As a given name * Matei Balș, Romanian bacteriologist *Matei Basarab, Wallachian Voivode between 1632 and 1654 *Matei Boilă, Romanian politician and priest *Matei Călines ...

; his parents were Vasile Millo and Zamfira (''née'' Prăjescu). He was first educated by private tutors at home, then at a private boarding school in

Iași Iași ( , , ; also known by other #Etymology and names, alternative names), also referred to mostly historically as Jassy ( , ), is the Cities in Romania, third largest city in Romania and the seat of Iași County. Located in the historical ...

from 1833 to 1834, followed by

Academia Mihăileană was an institution of higher learning based in Iași, Moldavia, and active in the first part of the 19th century. Like other Eastern European institutions of its kind, it was both a high school and a higher learning institute, housing several fa ...

from 1835 to 1836. While living in Paris from 1840 to 1845, he studied theatre, took private lessons, followed the great actors of the day (

Frédérick Lemaître Antoine Louis Prosper "Frédérick" Lemaître (; 28 July 1800 – 26 January 1876) was a French actor and playwright, one of the most famous players on the celebrated Boulevard du Crime. Biography Lemaître, the son of an architect, was ...

, François Jules Edmond Got, Hugues Bouffé, Pierre-Alfred Ravel) and probably played minor roles with French troupes. In 1846, after returning home, he began organizing the theatre in the

Danubian Principalities The Danubian Principalities (, ) was a conventional name given to the Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, which emerged in the early 14th century. The term was coined in the Habsburg monarchy after the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca (1774) ...

, first at Iași until 1852, and then at

Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...

. From 1864 to 1866, he taught at the

Bucharest Conservatory The National University of Music Bucharest (, UNMB) 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 ...

, while in 1877 he established an associated artists' troupe. Beginning in 1851, he staged numerous performances for the Romanians living under

Imperial Austrian The Austrian Empire, officially known as the Empire of Austria, was a Multinational state, multinational European Great Powers, great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the Habsburg monarchy, realms of the Habsburgs. Duri ...

rule in

Transylvania Transylvania ( or ; ; or ; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjen'') is a List of historical regions of Central Europe, historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and ...

and

Bukovina Bukovina or ; ; ; ; , ; see also other languages. is a historical region at the crossroads of Central and Eastern Europe. It is located on the northern slopes of the central Eastern Carpathians and the adjoining plains, today divided betwe ...

. He was much loved by the public for his repertoire, in which the comedies of

Vasile Alecsandri Vasile Alecsandri (; 21 July 182122 August 1890) was a Romanian patriot, poet, dramatist, politician and diplomat. He was one of the key figures during the 1848 revolutions in Moldavia and Wallachia. He fought for the unification of the Roma ...

featured most prominently, and for his playing style, comically realist, with touches of gravity. He wrote a number of translations, local adaptations and original plays, helping fill gaps in the scanty Romanian theatrical repertoire of the time. His published volumes include ''Un poet romantic'' (1850), ''Baba Hârca'' (1851), ''Masca pe obraz sau Hai să râdem'' (1862) and ''Apele de la Văcărești'' (1872). He died in Bucharest.Aurel Sasu (ed.), ''Dicționarul biografic al literaturii române'', vol. II, p. 112-13. Pitești: Editura Paralela 45, 2004. Carol Popp de Szathmáry - Matei Millo în costum de teatru, piesa Barbu Lăutarul.jpg, Millo in theatrical costume as a '' lăutar'' Carol Popp de Szathmáry - Matei Millo în costumaţie de teatru, costum feminin din piesa Fiica poporului.jpg, Millo in theatrical costume as a woman Matei Millo - Baba Hârca - Operetă-vrăjitorie în două acte și trei tablouri.pdf, Original edition of ''Baba Hârca'' (1851) Posta Romana - stamp - Matei Millo - 2999.jpg, 1971 postage stamp commemorating 75 years since Millo's death

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Millo, Matei 1814 births 1896 deaths Writers from the Principality of Moldavia People from Iași County Romanian male stage actors 19th-century Romanian male actors 19th-century Romanian dramatists and playwrights