Dimitrie C. Ollănescu-Ascanio (March 21, 1849 â€" January 20, 1908)
was a Wallachian, later Romanian poet, prose writer and
playwright.Born in Focșani, his parents were Constantin Ollănescu,
an army captain who later became a magistrate, and his wife Maria
(née Caloian). He attended high school at Bucharest's Saint Sava High
School and at the private Institutul Academic in Iași. He then
studied at the universities of Paris and Brussels, earning his
doctorate in law, administrative and political science from the latter
institution in 1873. He worked as a magistrate in Tecuci, becoming the
town's mayor. In 1876, he entered the diplomatic field, serving as
chargé d'affaires at Constantinople, Vienna and Athens.[1] He was
elected a titular member of the Romanian Academy in 1893,[2] and was
vice president of its literary section. He belonged to Junimea society
until 1895.[1]His published debut came about in 1870 in Foaia
Societății "Românismul†, with a selection of doina lyrics. He
also contributed to Convorbiri Literare and Literatură și artă
română magazines, as well as to Voința națională and România
Liberă newspapers. He translated Victor Hugo's Ruy Blas and Odes,
Epodes, Epistles, the two Satires and Ars Poetica by Horace, earning
the Academy's Năsturel Herescu prize in 1892 for his work on the
Roman poet. Ollănescu-Ascanio's main books published during his
lifetime are Pe malul gârlei (1879), Teatru (1893), Vasile Alecsandri
(1894), Satire (1896), Teatrul la români (I-II, 1897-1898), Poezii
(1901) and Satire. Pe malul gârlei (1908). According to literary
historian Georgeta Antonescu, he was "an elevated and elegant poet,
but without particular depth; a short story writer not without talent;
a capable playwright, but one who did not take on very difficult
challenges; and a competent and intelligent theatre reviewer". His
Teatrul la români was the first serious history of the theatre of
Romania, meticulously documented and displaying a ready capacity to
convey impressions and local color.[1]
was a Wallachian, later Romanian poet, prose writer and
playwright.Born in Focșani, his parents were Constantin Ollănescu,
an army captain who later became a magistrate, and his wife Maria
(née Caloian). He attended high school at Bucharest's Saint Sava High
School and at the private Institutul Academic in Iași. He then
studied at the universities of Paris and Brussels, earning his
doctorate in law, administrative and political science from the latter
institution in 1873. He worked as a magistrate in Tecuci, becoming the
town's mayor. In 1876, he entered the diplomatic field, serving as
chargé d'affaires at Constantinople, Vienna and Athens.[1] He was
elected a titular member of the Romanian Academy in 1893,[2] and was
vice president of its literary section. He belonged to Junimea society
until 1895.[1]His published debut came about in 1870 in Foaia
Societății "Românismul†, with a selection of doina lyrics. He
also contributed to Convorbiri Literare and Literatură și artă
română magazines, as well as to Voința națională and România
Liberă newspapers. He translated Victor Hugo's Ruy Blas and Odes,
Epodes, Epistles, the two Satires and Ars Poetica by Horace, earning
the Academy's Năsturel Herescu prize in 1892 for his work on the
Roman poet. Ollănescu-Ascanio's main books published during his
lifetime are Pe malul gârlei (1879), Teatru (1893), Vasile Alecsandri
(1894), Satire (1896), Teatrul la români (I-II, 1897-1898), Poezii
(1901) and Satire. Pe malul gârlei (1908). According to literary
historian Georgeta Antonescu, he was "an elevated and elegant poet,
but without particular depth; a short story writer not without talent;
a capable playwright, but one who did not take on very difficult
challenges; and a competent and intelligent theatre reviewer". His
Teatrul la români was the first serious history of the theatre of
Romania, meticulously documented and displaying a ready capacity to
convey impressions and local color.[1]
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