The Stîrcea family is an ancient boyar family from the area now split between Moldova (Romania), Rep. Moldova, and Ukraine (former Bucovina). In the 19th and 20th Centuries, members of the family were landowners, politicians, diplomats, and courtiers.  My grandfather, Ion Stîrcea, was a diplomat, a Senator, and Grand Master of Ceremonies at King Carol's Court. My father was a diplomat and his last posting was to the Romanian Legation in London before World War 2. My uncle, Ionel Mocsonyi-Styrcea was a diplomat and the private secretary of King Michael. The family has always supported the arts. My great-grandfather Victor was a composer, an excellent pianist, and a friend of Brahms with whom he used to play piano duets.  

After World War 2, the family property was confiscated by the communist regime.  My Uncle was imprisoned for 15 years for resistance to communism. After Romania joined the European Union, I obtained restitution of much of my family property in Romania including the house and park at Valeni, Neamt. This property had for many years been used as the village school and, when the school moved to new premises, it was the subject of a careful and comprehensive restoration program over seven years under the guidance of Architect Serban Sturdza. On completion of the restoration project, the House and Park were designated Historic Monuments and the restoration program won first prize in its category at the Romanian Architecture Biennale in 2018.

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Michael is a patron of arts. His  “Vision for Valeni” is to create a cultural center for artists, musicians, composers, writers and poets.  For some years, he has run a successful artist residency where painters and printmakers are invited to record the landscape, the people and way of life.