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Enescu Festival concludes: 4,000 artists, in over 100 concerts; Cristian Macelaru: A gain for Romania
The 27th edition of the "George Enescu" International Festival, a major national brand and one of the most prestigious events of its kind in the world, concluded on Sunday with the traditional concert by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, conducted by Klaus Mäkelä, performed on the final evening of the event on the stage of the Palace Hall.
The concert opened with "Romanian Rhapsody No. 1 in A major, Op. 11" by George Enescu, with the orchestra's performance receiving prolonged applause from the audience. This was followed by "Piano Concerto No. 5 in F major, Op. 103," "The Egyptian" by Camille Saint-Saëns, in which Jean-Yves Thibaudet, one of the world's finest pianists, once again demonstrated his mastery.
After the interval, "The Rite of Spring" by Igor Stravinsky concluded not only an exceptional evening, but also an edition of the "Enescu" Festival held under the artistic direction of the renowned conductor Cristian Macelaru, which marked 70 years since the passing of George Enescu.
The 2025 edition was built on three fundamental pillars: the Enescian tradition, artistic innovation and expansion into communities, through an extensive series of concerts across numerous cities in Romania, as well as engagement with new generations.
"It's truly a gain for Romania. Which other country in the world can pride itself on having a national brand that's cultural, artistic and actually the reason why the country is known internationally? Romania is one of the few countries with a festival that is supported and created because the country truly wants it. And I'm so happy to be part of this festival," maestro Cristian Macelaru said in an interview.
For four weeks, Bucharest became the world capital of classical music, bringing together over 4,000 artists from 28 countries on the Festival's stages in more than 100 concerts, including those by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Tonhalle-Orchester Zurich, Orchestre National de France, Czech Philharmonic, Budapest Festival Orchestra, WDR Symphony Orchestra, Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester, Accademia Bizantina, Orchestra of the Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Il Giardino Armonico, and more.
Renowned conductors took the podium - Klaus Mäkelä, Cristian Macelaru, Daniel Harding, Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Daniele Gatti, Iván Fischer, Paavo Järvi, Gianandrea Noseda, Manfred Honeck, Keri-Lynn Wilson, Petr Popelka, Vasily Petrenko, Alain Altinoglu - along with legendary soloists and internationally acclaimed artists: Martha Argerich, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Seong Jin Cho, Gautier Capuçon, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Rudolf Buchbinder, Alisa Weilerstein, Kian Soltani, Renaud Capuçon, Julian Rachlin, Kirill Gerstein, Alexandre Kantorow, Bruce Liu, Asmik Grigorian, Sonya Yoncheva, Isabelle Faust, Alexandra Conunova, and others.
A genuine cultural diplomacy project, the "Enescu" Festival introduced spectacular innovations, from launching the concert series "Enescu in Control" and "Enescu - JTI Immersive Experience," to the return of opera and ballet in the festival programme.
Two full opera productions were staged at the Bucharest National Opera House: "L'heure espagnole" by Maurice Ravel with the Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana conducted by James Gaffigan (29 August), and the monumental opera "Oedipe" by George Enescu (15 September), a production signed by visionary director Stefano Poda, featuring a prestigious cast.
Also within this framework, the Bucharest National Theatre hosted two outstanding dance performances: "DinDor'NdoR" by Gigi Caciuleanu (2 September), and "Les Saisons / The Seasons" with Malandain Ballet Biarritz and the Versailles Opera Orchestra conducted by Andres Gabetta (9 September).
At the Museum of Immersive New Art (MINA), the four productions scheduled in the series "Enescu - JTI Immersive Experience": "ONIRIUS," "Bach in the Jungle," "Klimt meets Bösendorfer - Ver Sacrum" and "The Last Piece" proved to be true explorations of the future, through dance, videomapping, performance, visual installations, and algorithmic compositions, which together proposed a new way of experiencing music.
The public enjoyed over 45 performances of works by George Enescu, from the famous Romanian Rhapsodies to Symphonies, Orchestral Suites, and rare chamber music pieces.
Unique festival moments were once again hosted, according to organisers, by the Palace Hall - the heart of the festival, the Romanian Athenaeum - the temple of intimacy, By Midnight Concert Series - the magic of night, the Radio Hall - Anniversaries, the Auditorium Hall - the discreet gem: Enescu 70, MINA - The Laboratory of the Future - immersive experiences, Enescu in Control - the stage of freedom.
Additionally, the 2025 edition expanded the reach of the "Enescu" Festival to more cities across Romania - Iasi, Cluj-Napoca, Timisoara, Sibiu, Brasov, Constanta, Oradea, Arad, Targu Mures, Craiova, Satu Mare, and other cultural centres - where renowned ensembles and leading soloists offered unforgettable performances.
The 27th edition of the "George Enescu" International Festival, which concluded on Sunday evening, began on 24 August, with the theme "Celebrations." The event was organised by ARTEXIM, under the High Patronage of the President of Romania and funded by the Government of Romania through the Ministry of Culture.