January 12th, 2008 - Presentation at New York colloquium "Mihai Eminescu's Relevance for Contemporary Romanian Culture." Hosted by the Romanian Consulate in New York, the annual celebration by Romanians of their national poet combined reading of academic papers with a traditional recitation of poetry by (or dedicated to) Eminescu and music based on the poet's lyrics. Mr. Sahlean presented the "Forced rhyming and unwitting hilarity in English Eminescu translations."
February 2008 - New York launching of 'The Merry Cemetery of Sapanta' book (Cimitirul Vesel de la Sapanta) - Purple Martin Press, showcasing the unique graveyard in Maramures, northern Romania, featuring humorous epitaphs on colorfully painted crosses (presentation film here).The photographs are by Peter Kayafas with translations by A. G. Sahlean, an introductory essay by Sanda Golopentia (Brown University) and a Translator's Note.
February 2008 - Conference at Romanian Embassy in Washington on Realities and perspectives in the cooperation between the Romanian-American community and the Romanian authorities. The event was chaired by Secretary of State Mihai Gheorghiu, Head of the Department for Relations with Romanians Living Abroad and moderated by Ambassador Adrian Vieriță. The more than 80 guests included the Romanian General Consuls of Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York, Romanian American community leaders, representatives of the Romanian churches and Romanian media in the US, as well as academic and cultural personalities, honorary consuls and members of student associations.
April 18th 2008 - Harvard presentation and poetry recital "Eminescu - Poet of the Romanian Soul." The event was organized in collaboration with the Romanian Student Association at Harvard, with the lecture focus on why the 'national poet of the Romanians' is relatively unknown in the English speaking world.
June 13th-14th 2008 - A repeat of the 2005 Off-Broadway theatrical production of A. G. Sahlean's translation of Eminescu's 'Luceafarul' /'The Legend of the Evening Star' at Marjorie Dean Theatre, directed by Terrence Cristgau Montgomery and choreographed by Raluca Georgiana set to original piano music by Ion Ionescu. Modern dancer Eric Ortega joined Patrick Murney who was part of the 2005 cast. (See more details of the 2008 Broadway show here)
June 2008 - Exhibition and book launching of 'The Merry Cemetery of Sapanta' (see book details above at the New York book launching) at Gallery Kayafas in South Boston. The book was designed by renowned Dutch designer Tessa van der Waals with photographs by Peter Kayafas and translations by A. G. Sahlean, also featuring an introductory essay by Sanda Golopentia (read it HERE) and a Translator Note. (click for either English or Romanian.)The event received enthusiastic reviews from the Boston Phoenix with the tongue-in-cheek title "Grave matters."
July 24h 2008 - Eminescu presentation and poetry recital at Romanian American Academy annual conference hosted by Boston's Wentworth Institute of Technology.
The 'Evening of Music and Poetry' also featured singer Miho Sato, Sunie Kaneko performing on the traditional Japanese instrument koto and pianist Tanya Shrago. The evening's surprise came after Miho Sato engaged the audience with a Romanian folk song: Adrian Sahlean stepped in and sang along with the artists the traditional Japanese song 'Sakura' /Cherry Blossom, Japan's national symbol.
December 2008. Tour on Romanian Cultural Icons: Eminescu – Eternal Longing, Impossible Love - The Merry Cemetery of Sapanta. Lectures/ Recitals at Arizona State University, Portland State University, Berkeley University CA, Sacramento US-Rom Assoc., ‘Casa Romana’ in San Francisco.
