One of the most famous performers of the folk song characteristic of the archaic village of Maramure, Nikolae Pičis, died on Wednesday at the age of 83, announced the mayor of Tirgu-Lepus, Mitru Leše.

Eighty-year-old Nicolae Pitsish, who lived in the town of Lapusul Romanesque, was declared a living human treasure in 2011. He received recognition in Romania and abroad for his original interpretation of choirs from Grumaz, songs of longing, love and mourning.

Nikolae Pitsish wore folk clothes typical of the Lapush ethnographic region, and he was surprised by the simplicity of a person who had lived in the village all his life. Over the years, he represented Romania at a number of international cultural and musical events, was the subject of documentaries, interviews and was present with his voice in some Romanian feature films.

Some of the songs he collected were taken over and performed by Grigore Lesche or Ioan Pop, and in recent years by the artist Cassandra Houschi. (Source: Agerpres)