{"id":1549,"date":"2019-12-15T21:19:48","date_gmt":"2019-12-15T19:19:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.danamladin.com\/?p=1549"},"modified":"2026-01-06T16:33:00","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T14:33:00","slug":"scoala-vedetelor-dupa-25-de-ani","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.danamladin.com\/en\/2019\/12\/scoala-vedetelor-dupa-25-de-ani\/","title":{"rendered":"Stars’ School after 30 years!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

update 2025<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Any day now it\u2019ll actually be 31 years since the first show, and Stars<\/strong>\u2019 School<\/strong> is still around in conversations, images, news, memories and \u201cI know you from somewhere\u2026\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A bunch of talented young people brought a new vibe to television and to the music scene of the \u201990s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TALENT SHOW<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Back then we didn\u2019t even know the term \u201ctalent show\u201d. Titus Munteanu, inspired by a show from the Italians, thought of creating a school where young people with artistic potential would be trained vocally, in choreography and in acting, in the most promising context \u2013 an entertainment show on public television (a powerhouse, in those days).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

THE STUDENTS OF THE STARS\u2019 SCHOOL<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I was an editor on this production and I still remember how hard we worked to find \u201cstudents\u201d. Back then there were only a few Popular Schools of Art; sometimes we\u2019d ask composers to recommend their students, we\u2019d wander through music high schools, we\u2019d convince people from the music world to send their sons and daughters to the auditions. And Romanian Public Television would announce castings, which brought us most of the candidates, especially from the rest of the country!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I can still see the huge crowds at the Gate of Romanian Television\u2026 hundreds of kids with their parents, or teenagers coming on their own, eager to get in as fast as possible and show their talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our search was constant, so after every episode aired, we\u2019d still pick up 1-2 more \u201cstudents\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I watched thousands of teenagers at castings \u2013 some super talented, others ordinary, funny or\u2026 clueless. But I treated them all with respect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We were looking for the \u201cperfect package\u201d, the ones with the potential to become complete stars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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casting at TVR after the first edition of Stars\u2019 School<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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together with Calin Goia (already a \u201cstudent\u201d in the School), during a casting<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

STARS\u2019 SCHOOL ON THE SET<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Many people used to call me the \u201cform teacher of Stars\u2019 School\u201d, which really annoyed me \ud83d\ude42 I was an editor and host, and on the tours where we travelled alone, I was even the \u201cpoliceman of Stars\u2019 School\u201d haha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I took part in all stages of the show\u2019s production, which really was a true school for me, as a television professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I worked in a really great team, making shows that are still dear to me today!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just like the photos taken with my old camera that I always carried with me, taking advantage of every free moment to gather the group for a photo. Back then we didn\u2019t have PR or \u201conline teams\u201d coming to take photos on filming days. I took them myself, whenever I could.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They\u2019re amateur photos, but for us, the ones involved, their value goes far beyond the quality of the camera or the photographer\u2019s skill:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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filming for the New Year\u2019s Eve show, the song Andrii Popa<\/em><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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time travel\u2026<\/em><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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with Titus Munteanu during filming at Bran<\/em><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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filming at Poiana Bra\u0219ov, the song with Adi Despot<\/em><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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\u201cStars\u2019 School on the computer\u201d \u2013 the show with which we were supposed to take part in an international competition. And that\u2019s where we had a photo shoot, finally\u2026<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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\u2026here, switched back to my own camera and to myself as the photographer \ud83d\ude42<\/em><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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the boys playing the part of real shepherds\u2026 (I still remember how much they kept scratching because of those sheepskin coats haha)<\/em><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Robots, angels, sailors, soldiers, cooks, monsters, firefighters, outlaws, ladies, policemen \u2013 there\u2019s nothing the Stars\u2019 School students didn\u2019t play during the recordings\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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NEW YEAR\u2019S EVE SHOW<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The debut of Stars\u2019 School was the show filmed in December 1994 and broadcast on New Year\u2019s Eve 1995.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The huge success brought a flood of requests afterwards: more TV shows, performances, concerts, invitations to various programs. And even national tours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The crazy things that happened while traveling, on trains, backstage at concerts around the country, could easily make for a good book\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Carmen, Simona, M\u0103lina, Adrian on the train, on the way to a concert<\/em><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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after a concert somewhere in the country<\/em><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We kept making shows month after month, as well as Specials for New Year\u2019s Eve nights, playing without limits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the ratings were without limits too. It\u2019s absolutely shocking to see how many people watched Stars\u2019 School \u2013 New Year\u2019s Eve 1997. Even if you don\u2019t work in the field, I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve heard a thing or two about TV ratings. Back then we reached the gigantic figure of\u2026 85% share!!! Hahahaha. It\u2019s shocking!!! (I know, private TV stations weren\u2019t as strong back then as they are today, but I still can\u2019t help laughing at such numbers. They should be framed \ud83d\ude42 )<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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SHOWS<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We performed recitals at the biggest Music Festivals of those years \u2013 the Golden Stag and Mamaia! Well-planned shows, for which we worked our heads off\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mamaia Music Festival \u201995 \u2013 our first important appearance! Here, at rehearsals, with the sun beating down on us, plus a shot from the show.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mamaia Music Festival \u201996 \u2013 at rehearsals, maximum fun doing the Macarena in sync \ud83d\ude42<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

STARS\u2019 SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHS<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I realize now that I did take some photos with my old film camera. Many of them turned out badly, but I kept them anyway. Oh, if smartphones had existed 30 years ago, wow, what an archive I\u2019d have by now\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luckily I also found some photos from photo shoots where we all took part. Photo shoots for the albums that were going to be released (with Roton we came out for the first time) or shoots like the one for Pro TV Magazin, the publication that brought us together (those of us who were around), for a Stars<\/strong>\u2019 School reunion<\/strong>, after 17 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We released albums, we received Gold Records, and many of the \u201cstudents\u201d won prizes at festivals \u2013 for performance and for songwriting. And, best of all, we won First Prize at a major television festival \u2013 Rose D\u2019Or<\/a>, Montreux (1996).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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here, with the trophy<\/em><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

BEHIND THE SCENES<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We spent more time inside Romanian Television than we did in our own homes\u2026 The control room, the make-up rooms, the costume rooms, the workshops, the rehearsal and editing rooms \u2013 there wasn\u2019t a corner we didn\u2019t know like the back of our hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We also travelled around the country \u2013 not only for tours, but also to film themed editions. Each such production felt like a stint in the army \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It wasn\u2019t easy. The \u201cfun\u201d you saw on screen meant entire days of preparation, tens of hours of filming, sometimes accidents, hoarse voices and trying to innovate in a period when we didn\u2019t have many resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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filming at height, done from an utility truck used to change the streetlight bulbs\u2026<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When exhaustion became unbearable, there were always solutions, while the \u201cothers\u201d were filming:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We were a dog-friendly team \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Even though stray animals weren\u2019t allowed inside Romanian Television, we always found a way to host a stray or two, right there in our dressing room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or, when travelling, we\u2019d stick to the local dogs whose territory we were invading with our filming:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mladin, the dog\u2019s best friend \ud83d\ude42<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

THE YEARS HAVE PASSED\u2026<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u2026and look how 31 years have gone by! Luckily, we didn\u2019t scatter too far. Many of us stayed in showbiz, we grew professionally and we still work, I\u2019d say, with the same passion as back then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for the \u201cform teacher\u201d, it\u2019s simple: after being the show\u2019s editor and studying journalism, my path was a pretty normal one \u2013 I became a producer of entertainment shows. I\u2019ve always been fascinated by the job behind the cameras, more than the one in front of them. That doesn\u2019t mean I don\u2019t value all my experience as a presenter. Both at Romanian Television and at Antena 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(My unique experience as a host on Stars\u2019 School, you can quickly read about here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE STUDENTS FROM STARS\u2019 SCHOOL?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Many of them stayed in the music field. You know Calin Goia from Voltaj or Adi Despot from Vita de Vie. Or the band Class. Geambasu and Laurentiu built up event bands (Calin Geambasu Band and The Colours) and they\u2019re rocking the whole country! Malina Olinescu also kept singing for some years\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diana Munteanu is part of the presenting team at Neatza, Antena 1. I admit, I also used her as an actress in several sketches on Next Star, the Antena 1 New Year\u2019s Eve shows and Scena misterelor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lili Sandu is currently hosting Vorbeste lumea, on Pro TV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marius from Timisoara also stayed in television, hosting several shows on Romanian Television. Now we pray he brings us luck at the 6\/49 lottery draws\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I worked for years with some of them, as a producer. With Carmen \u2013 on production, with Lulu \u2013 on musical direction. Carmen is now the Advertising Director at a TV station and a radio station, and on top of that, she also has her own business in the HoReCa industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After \u0218coala Vedetelor<\/em>, Titi started his own music project called ULTRA TT and was picked by The Prodigy to open for them! He didn\u2019t quit TV either \u2013 he\u2019s been involved in producing several shows, and when it comes to events, he really knows his stuff!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alice was the Health & Beauty Editor at Elle for many years, and she is now the PR & Community Manager for DIOR Romania!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nadine has started several interesting projects on TV and, more recently, online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Madalina fulfilled her dream of becoming an actress, in Timisoara.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So did Kitty, in Italy! Recently back in the country, she\u2019s already involved in several Romanian-Italian projects. But the best part is that, precisely because of this work, this year she was decorated by the President of Italy with the title of Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mirela went on singing in Morocco, even together with her husband, the Moroccan star Elam Jay!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rares Dragomir acts in TV series.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nicoleta is a psychologist in America. Angelica\u2026 Simona\u2026 Ramona\u2026 Raluca\u2026 oh, it\u2019s clear we need to call the roll to get up to date with everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s clear to me right now is that, from being the \u201cform teacher of School of Stars\u201d, I could become\u2026 the \u201cgrandmother of Stars\u2019 School\u201d \ud83d\ude42 And I\u2019d love to produce a super show with all the<\/strong> children of the Stars<\/strong>\u2019 School students<\/strong>, because there are quite a few! Wouldn\u2019t that be great???<\/p>\n\n\n\n

STARS\u2019 SCHOOL REUNION<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The lucky thing for some of us is that we still meet at work, on television or around the TV world\u2026 We haven\u2019t really made time for parties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But every time we meet again, it\u2019s a chance to remember moments that put us in a good mood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Stars\u2019 School was a beautiful kind of madness! Which, I\u2019m sure, we all still carry in our hearts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

27 years ago (!) we made a final show. A kind of\u2026 that\u2019s it, we\u2019ve graduated, it\u2019s over, we\u2019ve grown up too much!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We laughed a lot while filming that show, but there was also emotion and tears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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As the show\u2019s editor, I dug through our whole video archive and chose, for that graduation moment, a whole bunch of images with the School\u2019s students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you were part of our generation, whether you caught Stars\u2019 School when you were little, or whether your parents told you about this show because you weren\u2019t even born then, I invite you all to (re)discover \u2013 in less than 3 minutes of music by Calin Geambasu \u2013 a few of the \u201cadventures\u201d of the Stars\u2019 School students:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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