Biography > Biography 1966 - 1994

Biography 1966 - 1994

1969: December : Grand Prix national du théâtre.

1970: Ionesco becomes "Chevalier" of Légion d’Honneur and is rewarded with the Austrian Grand Prix  of European Literature; January 24: Premiere of "Jeux de Massacre" in Düsseldorf; September 11, French première at Théâtre de Montparnasse in Paris.

1971: January 4: WDR-Premiere of "La Vase" ; February 25 : Ionesco becomes a member of Academie Francaise.

1972: February 2: Premiere of "Macbett" at Théâtre Rive-Gauche. Ionesco makes the opening speech at Salzburger Festspiele.

1973: April 30, Ionesco receives the award of Jerusalem for his life work as well as in particular for this play "Rhinocéros"; November 14: Premiere of “Ce formidable bordel” at Théâtre Moderne.

1975: Première of « L’Homme aux valises » at Théâtre de L’Atelier.

1979: World record at Théâtre de la Huchette: Constant show of "La Cantatrice chauve" and "La Lecon" for more than 22 years. The record until then was held by Agatha Christie (Die Mausefalle).

1980: Première of "Voyages chez les Morts" at Guggenheim Theatre in New York.

1983: Ionesco performs with Nathalie Sarraute and Alain Robbe-Grillet a.o. in Virginia Woolf’s "Freshwater" at a Gala of Amnesty International.

1984: Ionesco becomes "Officier" of Légion d’Honneur.

1985: July 22: Premiere of the opera "Le Roi Bérenger" of Heinrich Suttermeister. Libretto according to the text of "Le roi se meurt".

1987: October 7: Premiere of the opera "Maximilien Kolbe" in Rimini, composer Dominique Probst, Libretto by Ionesco.

1989: Health problems stop Ionesco from taking a personal part in fighting for human rights in Romania.

1991: Théâtre Complet (his complete works) by Ionesco become part of the glorious "Bibliothèque de la Pléiade". Works being part of this collection are published in an exclusive cover written on equal paper. In 1991 Ionesco is the first living wrighter who is granted such honour.

1994: March 28: Ionesco dies at his Paris home. He is burried on "Cimetière de Montparnasse" (Allee Lenoir – 6e division). His last message on his gravestone: "Prier le Je Ne Sais Qui - j'espère: Jésus-Christ." (I beg "I do not know who" – I hope: Jesus Christ)