The Great Orchestras of the World Series at the George Enescu International Festival brings exceptional concerts to the stage of the Palace Hall, performed by some of the most prestigious orchestras în the world. Thirteen foreign orchestras and three Romanian orchestras will present a total of 29 concerts in this Series, from August 27 to September 24. The concert programs include works by classical and contemporary composers, featuring exceptional soloists and unique collaborations.
“The Great Orchestras of the world Series is a concert series where we bring the most important names from all over the world with programs suitable for the Palace Hall, on a grand stage, with a large audience. For many members of the public this may be their first and only chance to attend such a live concert, I’m thinking of the Vienna Philharmonic, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, the National Orchestra of France, the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, or the London Symphony Orchestra. The only thing missing from these concerts are the fireworks. Surely, this series of orchestras represents the highest level of music to a wide audience,“ said Cristian Măcelaru, Artistic Director of the George Enescu International Festival.
The George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra will perform twice onstage at the Palace Hall, on August 27 and September 12. The concert on August 27 will mark the opening of the 26th edition of the Festival. The Bucharest Philharmonic will be conducted by Cristian Măcelaru, with the French cellist Gautier Capuçon as a soloist. The program will include works by Antonín Dvořák (Concerto in B minor for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 104), George Enescu (Romanian Rhapsody in D major, Op. 11 No. 2) and Richard Strauss (Suite from Der Rosenkavalier, Op. 59). On September 12, starting at 7:30 PM, the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra will perform alongside the George Enescu Philharmonic Choir, prepared by Iosif Ion Prunner, in an innovative program: Benjamin Britten’s opera Billy Budd, presented in concert form, under the baton of conductor Hannu Lintu. Carmen Lidia Vidu has prepared multimedia support to enhance the musical discourse through new technologies.
The Maggio Musicale Orchestra and Choir will perform twice onstage at the Palace Hall on August 28 and 29. In the first concert, which will take place on Monday, August 28, starting at 8:00 PM, the audience will have the opportunity to listen to a concert version of Verdi’s opera Otello, conducted by Zubin Mehta, Honorary President of the Enescu Festival.
On this occasion as well, the music will be accompanied by multimedia support, created and directed by Nona Ciobanu. In the program of the second concert, on Tuesday, August 29, at 8:00 PM, the audience will listen, under the baton of Maestro Mehta, to the Prelude to the opera Oedipe by George Enescu and Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 in C minor.
The London Symphony Orchestra will present two programs for the audience, both under the baton of conductor Sir Simon Rattle: the first concert will take place on August 30, starting at 8:00 PM, at the Palace Hall. The program will include Mahler’s Symphony No. 9, the last one he managed to complete, as his work on the Tenth Symphony was interrupted by the German composer’s passing. The second concert will take place on August 31, also at the Palace Hall, starting at 8:00 PM. The program will feature works by George Enescu (Voix de la nature) and Olivier Messiaen (Turangalîla Symphony). Peter Donohoe (piano) and Cynthia Millar (ondes martenot) will be the evening’s soloists, surprising the audience with unique and extraordinary sounds. The ondes martenot is an electronic instrument invented by Maurice Martenot in 1928, the only one of its generation still in use.
The Capitole Theatre Orchestra from Toulouse will hold two concerts at the Palace Hall on September 1 and 2, conducted by Maestro Christian Badea. In the concert on September 1, at 7:30 PM, the orchestra will be accompanied by the Romanian Radio Academic Choir, prepared by conductor Ciprian Țuțu, and the soloist will be Renaud Capuçon (violin). The program will include works by George Enescu (Symphonic Poem sis – posthumously completed by Pascal Bentoiu) and Camille Saint-Saëns (Concerto No. 3 in B minor for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 61, and Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. 78, with organ). The second concert will take place on September 2, starting at 7:30 PM, under the baton of conductor Josep Pons, featuring Lambert Wilson (narrator), Mathias Vidal (tenor), and Vincent Le Textier (baritone). The program will include two works by Hector Berlioz: the rarely performed work Lélio ou le Retour à la Vie, Op. 14b, and the Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14, both with multimedia support proposed by Nona Ciobanu.
The Romanian Youth Orchestra will take the stage at the Palace Hall on Sunday, September 3, starting at 7:30 PM. The concert will be conducted by Stefan Asbury, featuring pianist Jan Lisiecki as the soloist. The program will include the work Cercar la nota by the late academician composer Cornel Țăranu, Edvard Grieg’s Concerto in A minor for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 16, and Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47. Additionally, the Romanian Youth Orchestra will also participate in the concert of the National Orchestra of France on September 22, in a formative side-by-side project conceived by Maestro Cristian Măcelaru, which will give young Romanian musicians the opportunity to perform alongside established performers.
The Tonhalle Orchestra from Zurich will perform twice during the George Enescu International Festival, on September 4 and 5, at the Palace Hall. The first concert will take place on Monday, September 4, starting at 8:00 PM, under the baton of Paavo Järvi. Romanian cellist Andrei Ioniță will perform Enescu’s Cello Concertante in B minor, Op. 8, alongside works by composers Arthur Honegger (Pacific 231. Symphonic Movement) and Antonín Dvořák (Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95, From the New World). The second concert, on Tuesday, September 5, at 8:00 PM, will also be conducted by Paavo Järvi, featuring Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 9 in D minor, WAB 109.
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra will come to Bucharest on September 6 and 7, performing at the Palace Hall under the baton of Lahav Shani. The concert on Wednesday, September 6, will start at 8:00 PM and will feature Gil Shaham as the soloist (violin). The program will include works by Louise Farrenc (Overture No. 2 in E-flat major, Op. 24), Franz Joseph Haydn (Symphony No. 104 in D major, H. 1/104), and Johannes Brahms (Concerto in D major for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 77). On September 7, the concert will start at 7:30 PM, with pianist Alexandre Kantorow as the soloist. The program will include works by George Enescu (Romanian Rhapsody No. 1 in A major, Op. 11 No. 1), Sergei Prokofiev (Concerto No. 2 in G minor for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 16), and Johannes Brahms (Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68).
The Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra will hold two concerts at the Palace Hall on September 8 and 9. In the Friday concert, September 8, starting at 7:30 PM, the conductor will be Gustavo Gimeno, and the soloist will be Alena Baeva (violin). The program will include works by György Ligeti (Romanian Concerto), George Enescu (Romanian Capriccio for violin and orchestra – posthumously completed by Cornel Țăranu), and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36). The concert on Saturday, September 9, will start at 7:30 PM and will be conducted by Finnish conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali, featuring Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes as the soloist. The program will include works by Lili Boulanger (D’un matin de printemps), Ludwig van Beethoven (Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 73), and Igor Stravinsky (Petrushka Suite).
The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra will perform on September 10th and 11th, under the baton of conductor Jakub Hrůša. On Sunday, September 10th, the concert will begin at 7:30 PM, featuring Igor Levit on the piano. The program will include works by Johannes Brahms (Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major for piano and orchestra, Op. 83) and Antonín Dvořák (Symphony No. 8 in G major, Op. 88). The second concert will take place on Monday, September 11th, starting at 8:00 PM, under the same conductor. The program will include works by George Enescu (Suite No. 1 for orchestra, Op. 9), Leoš Janáček (Suite from the opera “The Cunning Little Vixen”), and Sergei Rachmaninoff (Symphonic Dances, Op. 45).
The Bavarian State Opera Orchestra will perform two concerts at the Palace Hall on September 13th and 14th, under the baton of conductor Vladimir Jurowski, who was the artistic director of the Enescu Festival between 2017 and 2021. The Wednesday, September 13th concert starts at 8:00 PM and features pianist Yefim Bronfman as the soloist. The program will include works by Richard Wagner (Prelude to the opera “Tristan and Isolde”), Robert Schumann (Concerto in A minor for piano and orchestra, Op. 54), and Gustav Mahler (Symphony No. 4 in G major), featuring soprano Louise Alder. The second concert will take place on Thursday, September 14th, at 7:30 PM, under the same conductor, with Vilde Frang as the violin soloist. The program will include works by Victoria Poleva (“White Interment”), Alban Berg (Concerto for violin and orchestra), and Richard Strauss (Symphonic Poem “Alpine Symphony,” Op. 64).
The National Academy of Santa Cecilia Orchestra from Rome will perform twice at the Palace Hall on September 15th and 16th, under the baton of conductor Tugan Sokhiev. The concert on Friday, September 15th, will start at 7:30 PM and will include works by George Enescu (Symphony No. 1 in E-flat major, Op. 13) and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64). The second concert, on Saturday, September 16th, will feature pianist Bertrand Chamayou as the soloist and works by Hector Berlioz (Overture “Roman Carnival”), Franz Liszt (Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major for piano and orchestra, S. 124), and Gustav Mahler (Symphony No. 1 in D major).
The National Radio Orchestra will perform a concert as part of the “Great Orchestras of the World” series on Sunday, September 17th, at 8:00 PM, at the Palace Hall. The concert will be conducted by Tan Dun, featuring harpist Xavier De Maistre as the soloist and multimedia director Carmen Livia Vidu, who will illustrate the musical program with video projections. The audience will have the opportunity to hear a Romanian premiere work by conductor Tan Dun (“Nu Shu”) and the well-known “Pictures at an Exhibition” by Mussorgsky in Ravel’s orchestration.
The National Philharmonic Orchestra of Hungary will perform two concerts at the Palace Hall on September 18th and 19th. The first concert, on Monday, September 18th, at 8:00 PM, will be conducted by Charles Dutoit, with legendary pianist Martha Argerich performing Sergei Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major. The program will also include works by George Enescu (“Pastoral Fantasy” for small orchestra) and Hector Berlioz (“Symphonie fantastique,” Op. 14). The second concert will take place on Tuesday, September 19th, at 8:00 PM and will be conducted by Cristian Mandeal, featuring Sheku Kanneh-Mason as the cello soloist. The program will include works by Zoltán Kodály (“Dances of Galánta”), Dmitri Shostakovich (Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major for cello and orchestra, Op. 107), and George Enescu (Symphony No. 2 in A major, Op. 17).
The French ensemble Le Balcon, together with the National Opera Orchestra of Bucharest, the National Opera Choir, and the Radio Academic Choir, will perform at the Palace Hall on September 20th, at 4:30 PM, under the baton of Maxime Pascal. The choirs will be prepared by conductors Daniel Jinga (National Opera Choir) and Ciprian Țuțu (Radio Academic Choir). The orchestras and choirs will perform Olivier Messiaen’s opera “Saint Francis of Assisi,” in its absolute premiere in Romania.
The National Orchestra of France, conducted by Cristian Măcelaru, will perform two concerts as part of the George Enescu International Festival at the Palace Hall on September 21st and 22nd. The first concert, on Thursday, September 21st, starting at 8:00 PM, will feature Augustin Hadelich as the soloist on violin. The program includes flagship works of universal modern music composed by Pierre Boulez (“Notations I-IV & VII”), Henri Dutilleux (Concerto for violin and orchestra “L’Arbre des songes”), and Igor Stravinsky (“The Rite of Spring”). The second concert, on Friday, September 22nd, at 8:00 PM, will be accompanied by members of the Romanian Youth Orchestra and the George Enescu Philharmonic Choir. George Enescu’s monumental Symphony No. 3 will be performed in a unique and emotional interpretation. In the same concert, another Enescu masterpiece, the Romanian Rhapsody in A major, Op. 11 No. 1, will be presented by pianist Kirill Gerstein, who will perform the long-awaited Concerto No. 2 in C minor for piano and orchestra, Op. 19, by Sergei Rachmaninoff.
The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra concludes, as tradition goes, the Great Orchestras series, as well as the George Enescu Festival, at the Palace Hall on September 23rd and 24th, with both concerts conducted by the young conductor Klaus Mäkelä, the newly appointed musical director of the Amsterdam-based orchestra. The concert on Saturday, September 23rd, starts at 7:30 PM and will feature works by Claude Debussy (“Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun” and “La mer, trois esquisses symphoniques pour orchestre L. 109”) and Maurice Ravel’s “Concerto for the Left Hand” and “Concerto in G major for piano and orchestra,” performed by pianist Yuja Wang. The second concert of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra takes place on Sunday, September 24th, at 8:00 PM and will be accompanied by the Radio Academic Choir and mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnston. George Enescu’s Concert Overture will open the musical regale. Ciprian Țuțu has prepared the choir for the intervention in Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 in D minor.
Tickets are available in five price categories: Category IV – 100 lei (reduced price for students and pensioners: 70 lei), Category III – 120 lei, Category II – 170 lei, Category I – 200 lei, Category VIP – 250 lei.
More details about the Great Orchestras of the World series can be found in the dedicated section on the George Enescu Festival website: https://www.festivalenescu.ro/series/great-orchestras-of-the-world/.
About the George Enescu International Festival:
The George Enescu International Festival is one of the most important classical music events în the world, organized since 1958. The 26th edition of the festival takes place between August 27th and September 24th, with the theme “Generosity through Music.” The festival program includes over 3,500 of the world’s most renowned artists, more than 40 orchestras from 16 countries, opera premieres, and educational concerts for children. For more details, visit https://www.festivalenescu.ro/.
Tickets are available for purchase on the Eventim platform. Direct link.
