1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites

Our guest on 31.07.2011 Michael Cretu, Music Producer

„Talking Germany“ - Host Peter Craven speaks to the successful producer Michael Cretu about origins, utopia and clocks.

https://p.dw.com/p/Rd4U

Michael Cretu, a successful producer, composer and musician has never been one to bask in the limelight. He has lived in relative seclusion on the island of Ibiza for more than twenty years.

Michael Cretu's music is pure fusion. His mix of traditional songs, chants and electronic pop, of old and new is popular with millions worldwide. His first album from the Enigma project, which included hits such as "Sadeness" was released in 1990. It sold 30 million copies and six more albums followed. As a school boy in his native Romania, Michael Cretus was encouraged to play piano. In the seventies, his family fled the communist country and came to Germany where, aged 18, Michael became a German citizen. Having trained as a concert pianist in Frankfurt am Main, he discovered a passion for synthesizers and electronic pop.

"Maria Magdalena", sung by Sandra was his greatest success. It reached number one in twenty one countries and sold 32 million copies. Michael and Sandra were a couple for more than twenty years and raised their twin boys together before splitting in 2008.