Romanian National Opera, Cluj-Napoca Pavel as stage director. Famous artists of the early days of the institution include Constantin Pavel, the first director of the institution and the first tenor to sing the Radames role in the Cluj-Napoca Romanian Opera, the Italian conductor Egisto Tango, the composer Tiberiu Brediceanu, the baritone Dimitrie Popovici-Bayreuth. The Romanian Opera managed to establish in a very short period of time a very good and prolific artistic team. In just its first 2 years (1919–1921), it staged 99 performances, including Giuseppe Verdi's "Aida", Charles Gounod's "Faust", de Giacomo Puccini's "Madama Butterfly", Nicolae Bretan's "Luceafărul", Pietro Mascagni's "Cavalleria rusticana", Richard
Welsh National Opera supporters in December 1943; at that meeting the name of the proposed organisation was changed to "Welsh National Opera Company". By January 1944 plans were far enough advanced for the company's first rehearsals to be held. Owen recruited a local businessman, W. H. (Bill) Smith (1894–1968), who agreed to serve as business manager. At first doubtful of the company's prospects, Smith became its dominant influence, leading fund-raiser, and chairman for twenty years from 1948. The new company made its debut at the Prince of Wales Theatre, Cardiff on 15 April 1946 with a double bill of "Cavalleria Rusticana" and "Pagliacci".