Harmonious Farewell: grand finale for “George Enescu” International Festival 26th edition

On September 24, 2023, The “George Enescu” International Festival concluded its 26th edition with a magnificent performance by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, led by conductor Klaus Makela, at the Palace Hall in Bucharest.

This renowned ensemble graced once again the Palace Hall stage for the second time during this festival, as part of the Great Orchestras of the World Series in this edition. They were accompanied by the Academic Radio Choir, under the direction of Ciprian Tutu, and the exceptional mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnston.

Read more: George Enescu International Festival: 16 prestigious orchestras taking the stage this year

The program featured George Enescu’s Concert Overture on Romanian Folk Themes Op. 32 and Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 in D minor, Mahler’s most extensive composition and considered the longest symphony in the standard repertoire. The 26th edition of the Bucharest festival concluded with a standing ovations.

Raluca Turcan, the Romanian Minister of Culture, described the Enescu Festival as “a special musical journey.” She added, “And that’s because, beyond the large number of participants, of performers, we also had extremely complex and challenging compositions. And this is why I hope that the public found themselves in the multitude of musical genres and events that the festival offered,” Turcan told AGERPRES.

Read more about

Raionul de Pește Floreasca relaunches the Chef Table concept

read more

Cristian Macelaru, the Artistic Director of the “George Enescu” Festival, expressed his satisfaction that the event provided superb music not only to the Romanian audience but also to audiences worldwide. He emphasized that Enescu’s presence was deeply felt throughout the festival, both in the music performed and the atmosphere.

Over the course of 29 days, more than 3,500 guest artists graced the stages of the Palace Hall, the Romanian Athenaeum, the Radio Hall, the Auditorium Hall, and the Odeon Theatre, offering a total of 90 concerts.

This year’s official program comprised six concert series, including the “Great Orchestras of the World” series, featuring international and Romanian orchestras such as the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, the National Orchestra of France, the Tonhalle Orchestra of Zurich, and others. The festival also welcomed internationally renowned conductors and soloists, making it a musical extravaganza.

Concerts at the Romanian Athenaeum allowed the audience to experience the world’s most renowned symphony and chamber orchestras, showcasing works by classical and contemporary composers. Additionally, midnight concerts featured a diverse range of music, from Renaissance and Baroque to traditional Georgian folklore and moments of improvisation.

Other series, including “Enescu and contemporaries,” “Romanian orchestras,” and “Concerts for families and children,” expanded the festival’s offerings, with the latter taking place in the Majestic Hall of the Odeon Theatre for the first time. The Festival Square, after a hiatus of several editions, returned as a venue, adding to the festival’s vibrancy.

The 26th edition of the “George Enescu” International Festival was a government-funded project organized by ARTEXIM, under the High Patronage of the President of Romania and with support from the Ministry of Culture.