Mourning rally and final tribute on stage for Gheorghe Urschi, master who united country through laughter

In an atmosphere of profound sorrow and gratitude, at the National Palace “Nicolae Sulac”, hundreds of people – officials, colleagues, friends and admirers – bid farewell to master Gheorghe Urschi, one of the most beloved artists of the Republic of Moldova. The mourning rally became not only a moment of parting, but also a collective testimony to the power of his art and its deep impact on society.

The first to speak was President Maia Sandu, who spoke about the artist’s unique role in the public consciousness and the healing power of his humor.


“Master Urschi was not laughing at Moldovans, he was laughing together with Moldovans – without malice, without superiority, with great compassion. To be able to laugh when times are hard means great character. To be able to make packed halls, villages and cities laugh together with you means more than acting talent; it means moral and spiritual elevation,” the head of state emphasized.


The president also evoked the artist’s role during the years of national rebirth, alongside major cultural personalities.


“In the years of national rebirth, Urschi, together with Doina and Ion Aldea-Teodorovici, Grigore Vieru, showed us the path and the ideals of our nation. What they did was not entertainment; it was a form of resistance and of national salvation,” the head of state noted.


Maia Sandu stressed that Gheorghe Urschi’s legacy is profound: “His humor was a national therapy, a way of looking at ourselves with sincerity and becoming better, more united. Thank you!”

For his part, Minister of Culture Cristian Jardan spoke about the impact the artist had on generations and about his own personal encounter with him.


“He was the voice of people affected by the worries and hardships of the 1990s transition, when poverty was easier to endure thanks to his jokes and his simple way of telling the truth. I belong to the generation that knew him from television, where he lit up the screens and brought us joy every single time,” Cristian Jardan remarked.


The minister recalled a moving moment from the artist’s life: “On the day we were supposed to film a surprise for him, we learned that Grigore Vieru had died. I then saw Gheorghe Urschi overwhelmed with grief, yet dignified, profound and sensitive. It was a lesson in humanity.”

Writer Leo Butnaru, a friend of the late artist, brought to the fore the difficult beginnings of Urschi’s career, marked by censorship and bans.


“From your resistance a personality was born. From a banned performance your star was born. You went through a drama, but you transformed it into creation. We love you and we will not forget you,” said Butnaru, recalling the 1970s, when culture was subjected to strong ideological pressures.


Petru Hadârcă, director of the National Theatre “Mihai Eminescu”, spoke about the direct influence Urschi had on actors and audiences alike.


“When Gheorghe Urschi appeared on stage, it was a true psychotherapy. He treated us all – both us, the actors, and the audience. He taught us to cherish freedom through humor,” Petru Hadârcă remembered.


Director Margareta Reabcov, a close collaborator of the artist, highlighted his generosity and artistic courage.


“He never accused anyone directly, but he knew how to make us laugh at ourselves and think freely. Gheorghe Urschi taught us that the truth can be told in another way – with intelligence and with humor,” Margareta Reabcov pointed out.


She also underlined the need to keep his memory alive: “We would need a theatre to bear his name, a place where young people can learn to satirize, to think freely. Because Gheorghe Urschi was not just an artist – he was a school.”

The moment was all the more symbolic as the ceremony took place on World Art Day, celebrated on the same date as the birth of Leonardo da Vinci. In this context, the master’s passing was perceived as a coincidence with powerful symbolic significance.

In the end, a verse from his own work was recited as a final farewell: “Oh, humble candle… now, on the final road, you light my sunset.”

Today, the Republic of Moldova bids farewell to one of the most emblematic figures of its national culture, Maestrul Gheorghe Urschi, who passed away at the age of 78. People’s Artist, National Prize laureate and Knight of the Order of the Republic, honorary citizen of the municipality of Chișinău, the “king of humor” leaves behind an inestimable artistic legacy and a huge void in the hearts of those who admired him over the decades.

Wednesday, April 15, is marked by special solemnity, having been declared a national day of mourning by decree of President Maia Sandu.