Bucharestaa‚¬a„¢s cultural scene defies the hard economic times

Opera, theater or philharmonic – just take your pick, as such cultural events continue to sell out, regardless of the economic context and the public’s shrinking purchasing power. The 2010-2011 program has already started and offers a wide palette of choices for which no knowledge of the Romanian language is necessary. The Bucharest National Opera, George Enescu Philharmonic, Bucharest National Theater, National Operetta Theater, Odeon Theater and Passe Partout theater company are all part of BR’s selection of leisure events for culture aficionados across Romania.

Corina Dumitrescu

The Bucharest National Opera (ONB, Opera Nationala Bucuresti) will stage this year, as usual, up to ten premieres, says Catalin Ionescu-Arbore, the institution’s general manager. These performances encompass both the new productions at the main hall (or “sala mare”), as well as those in the Yellow Foyer (Foaierul Galben), staged by the Experimental Opera and Ballet Studio “Ludovic Spiess”.

By the end of the year, five premieres will take place at the Bucharest National Opera, including Giuseppe Verdi’s “I Due Foscari” on November 14, presented as a concert-spectacle, conducted by Iurie Florea, the contemporary creation of German composer Peter Ruzicka; “Celan”, on November 28, a co-production with the Bremen Theater and an homage to Paul Celan, a Hebrew poet of Romanian origins; as well as “Tango. Romeo and Juliet”, on December 12, a contemporary ballet, whose second half is based on British alternative rock band Radiohead’s music, scenographer Ionescu-Arbore reveals.

Aside from these three premieres taking place in ONB’s main hall, the Opera and Ballet Experimental Studio is putting on Giuseppe Verdi’s “Alzira”, on December 11, as part of the “Rare Opera” project, bringing into the spotlight lesser known works, and “Snow Queen” (“Craiasa Zapezii”), on December 5, a ballet for children, both taking place at the Yellow Foyer.

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However, there will be other highlights aside from the premieres at ONB. As Ionescu-Arbore says, its most successful operas so far have been Puccini’s “La Boheme”, Bizet’s “Carmen”, Verdi’s “La Traviata”, Wagner’s “The Flying Dutchman” and the ballets “Giselle”, “Cinderella” and “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves”.

A tradition for the opera, as part of the New Year festivities Johann Strauss II’s operetta “The Bat” (“Die Fledermaus”) will be staged on the last evening of the year. As for 2011, the schedule is not yet finalized due to some repair works that the institution’s building will have to undergo in the coming year.

As regards the economic crisis, Ionescu-Arbore is optimistic, even though the ONB depends on the state budget for 96-98 percent of its revenue, and salary cuts have been made, but with no repercussions on the quality of the performances. People seem now to be more avid cultural consumers than ever, as “spectators seek a refuge in the auditorium, so that for at least two hours they can get away from the problems that we are all facing,” says Ionescu-Arbore.

The George Enescu Philharmonic, founded in 1868, is considered to be Romania’s most famous musical institution. Based at the Romanian Athenaeum, one of Bucharest’s flagship buildings, the concerts that the institution will stage this year are all unique, “once in a lifetime opportunities”, say representatives. Shows are also held on a regular basis, as is the case of the symphonic concerts held on Thursdays and Fridays.

A highlight of the Philharmonic’s program this year will be the “George Enescu” Philharmonic Choir’s 60-year anniversary event, comprising four concerts that began on October 11 and will conclude with an extraordinary vocal symphonic concert on November 29. On this date, pianist Valentin Gheorghiu and singers Lavinia Mamot, Gianina Munteanu, Ionut Popescu and Stefan Ignat, conducted by Iosif Ion Prunner, will perform the works of Ludwig van Beethoven and Giuseppe Verdi.

Apart from the George Enescu Philharmonic’s consecrated program of symphonic, instrumental, chamber and choral concerts, the Athenaeum’s talks are another tradition that has been successfully continued over the years, bringing some of the best known and respected Romanian cultural figures into conversation. Most recently, on September 27, the German writer of Romanian origin Herta Muller, winner of the 2009 Nobel Prize for literature, held such a conference with writer Gabriel Liicenu.

The Bucharest National Theater (TNB, Teatrul National Bucuresti), although its works are mainly performed in Romanian, is also putting on some events that can be attended by foreigners. One example is Don Quijote, a pantomime play directed by Dan Puric, an acclaimed Romanian actor, one of the biggest names in pantomime acting. Another recommendation made by theater officials is the theater and dance show “…and Juliet”, staged in collaboration with the Greek Cultural Foundation in Bucharest. The dance troupe Vertige will take part in the show, led by Amalia Strinopoulou, who is also the scenographer of the play.

Another highlight at TNB is Oscar Wilde’s “The Nightingale and the Rose”, featuring actor Marius Manole as the storyteller, one of the top Romanian actors of the younger generation. Described as a video-poem, the show uses unconventional and modern means of expression, such as electro music, video projection, gesture dance and pop-up décor. The play was young underground director Carmen Lidia Vidu’s debut at the national theater. Videos of the show are available for view on YouTube.

Retuning to Dan Puric, the Romanian actor and director also has his very own theater company Passe Partout, which specializes in pantomime techniques. Freshly returned from an international theater festival held in Cairo, where the company’s shows were very well received due to the “international language that they speak”, says Violeta Totir of Passe Partout, the troupe is ready for the shows that it will stage in Romania, at Sala Rapsodia, on Lipscani 53. November’s productions include “Made in Romania”, taking place on the 25th, a story of the country, created by Dan Puric “with the hope that in the supermarket in which we are living, these fast-men, fast-thinkers and fast-lovers will pull back from their fast-food and remember something,” the director says on the theater company’s website. Other imminent shows are “All Five” (13 November) , “Us” (14th), “Fantasmagoria” (20th), “Rencontres” (21st) and “Two of Us” (27th).

The National Operetta Theater “Ion Dacian” is also hosting notable events that no culture lover will want to miss. Between November 4 and 14, the third edition of the International Arts Festival of the Musical Spectacle “Life is Beautiful” will take place, including a series of shows, concerts, exhibits, workshops and conferences. This year’s special guests will be Mariza (a Portuguese fado singer), Laurie Anderson (experimental music), The Tiger Lillies (dark cabaret) and DJ Ravin (ambiental music), who will be performing as part of the “Life is Beautiful” concerts.

Musical and operetta shows from renowned theaters in Hungary, Russia and Ukraine, as well as local theatres, will be staged, including the debut of Johann Strauss II’s “The Bat”. Part of the musical program is the National Operetta Theater’s collage of chansonettes “Paris, mon amour” and “The Tango of Life”, under the direction of Bogdan Strutinsky of the Academic Theater of Operetta in Kiev.

The Hazard magic show will also take place as part of the festival, held by illusionist Andrei Teasca, founder of the Magic Theater. Two photo exhibitions will be held in the theater’s foyer, one by Jan Saudek and another marking 60 years since the foundation of the National Operetta Theater. Book and CD launches, talks and children’s workshops are also included in the program. Tickets for the event are available from the National Operetta Theater, as well as online, on eventim.ro.

Other hot-ticket events include the spectacular choreography shows held by choreographer and dancer Razvan Mazilu, at the Odeon Theater. These include “Un Tango Mas”, “Block Bach” and “Depeche//Dance”, a choreographical interpretation of British electro-goth pioneers Depeche Mode’s music, created by choreographer Massimo Gerardi, taking place on November 7, one of last season’s premieres which garnered much acclaim. For non-Romanian speakers, the Odeon Theater is also working on plays with subtitling in English and French, including “Ionesco – five short plays”, “Hamletmachine”, “It’s Just the End of the World”, “The Hotel Room – a Trilogy” and “Pyramus & Thisbe 4 You”.

It all adds up to a diverse, quality cultural calendar, certain to give any foreigner an insight into a country that fuses old and new, modern and traditional.