 The Romanian National Theatre was officially opened on 18 September 1919, simultaneously with the Romanian Opera and Gheorghe Dima Music Academy.The inauguration performance, "Poemul Unirei" () by Zaharia Bârsan, took place on 1 December 1919.The founder of the National Theatre of Cluj, as well as his first director, was Zaharia Bârsan, actor, stage director, playwright and animator.