From Renaissance and Baroque music to traditional Georgian folklore and moments of improvisation: This year’s edition of the George Enescu International Festival’s Midnight Concert Series introduces 11 must-see recital proposals on the stage of the Romanian Athenaeum. The nocturnal concerts are scheduled on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, from 22:30, between September 1 and September 23, with one exception: the concert by the National Chamber Choir “Madrigal – Marin Constantin” will take place on Thursday, September 7.
“I wanted every person to be inspired to experiment with this jewel-like concert, with the idea of a midnight celebration, where an artist or a group of musicians present music in a completely different way. It’s not a traditional recital; it’s a type of concert that pushes the boundaries of classical music. What I desire is to offer this challenge to the audience: to prepare for a gala concert from which they will then venture into the beauty of the Bucharest night, in a unique atmosphere. I hope people fall in love with the experience they have”, says maestro Cristian Măcelaru, the Artistic Director of the George Enescu International Festival.
The series starts on Friday, September 1, with a recital by soprano Olga Peretyatko alongside tenor Marius Vlad Budoiu, accompanied by pianists Matthias Samuil and Horea Haplea. The program includes arias by some of the most renowned composers (Brahms, Schubert, Tchaikovsky, Puccini) and an unusual duet by the two soloists with music by Franz Lehár (“Lippen schweigen”: Duet Hanna – Danilo from the operetta The Merry Widow).
On September 2, at 22:30, Ensemble Zefiro, the Italian ensemble specializing in Baroque music, will grace the stage of the Romanian Athenaeum. The concert will be conducted by the ensemble’s founder, oboist Alfredo Bernardini, and the program will feature the famous Serenade No. 10 in B-flat major for wind instruments by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, known as Gran Partita, a work that will transport the audience to the atmosphere of Viennese imperial courts.
On Sunday, September 3, the audience will enjoy the piano magic in a recital by the renowned Turkish international pianist and composer Fazil Say. The program will include works by Claude Debussy (5 preludes from Book I and Clair de lune), Ludwig van Beethoven (Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57, Appassionata), and Johann Sebastian Bach (Prelude and Fugue in A minor for organ, BWV 543), as well as a highly anticipated moment of improvisation. The concert will take place on the stage of the Romanian Athenaeum, starting at 22:30.
On Thursday, September 7, at 22:30, a special recital featuring works from the Italian and German Renaissance, Romanian and South American compositions will take place on the stage of the Romanian Athenaeum, performed by the National Chamber Choir “Madrigal – Marin Constantin”, conducted by Anna Ungureanu. This will be a truly special occasion, as the Madrigal Choir celebrates its 60th uninterrupted year of existence. The program includes works by Claudio Monteverdi (Cantate Domino), Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (Missa Brevis), Hans Leo Hassler (Cantate Domino), Corneliu Cezar (Flăcări și roți – fragments), and Ariel Ramirez (Misa Criolla).
A beautiful fusion of classical and traditional repertoire will take place on the stage of the Romanian Athenaeum on Friday, September 8, at 22:30, as the audience has the opportunity to meet one of the most renowned mandolin players in the world, Avi Avital from Israel. He will be joined by the Between Worlds Ensemble and the Rustavi Choir, a musical project founded by him that explores diverse musical genres and cultures, highlighting the close connection between classical and folk music. The program will include works from Georgian folklore and “The Dance of Freedom” by Nikoloz Rachveli.
The series continues on Saturday, September 9, when the innovative project Plattform K+K Vienna takes the stage of the Romanian Athenaeum at 22:30. Plattform K+K Vienna is an independent chamber music ensemble formed by young musicians, members of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. They aim to bring to life rare works. Soprano Valentina Nafornița, originally from the Republic of Moldova, will also join the event. The program includes Richard Strauss’s Suite from Der Rosenkavalier, Astor Piazzolla’s The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires, and George Gershwin’s Summertime.
On Friday, September 15, the concert of the Jewish Chamber Orchestra from Munich, conducted by Daniel Grossmann, takes place. On stage, Israeli-born soprano Chen Reiss, a resident artist at the Vienna State Opera, and the young violinist Tassilo Probst, laureate of the 2020/2021 George Enescu International Competition, will perform lieder and concertos by the Mendelssohn siblings: Felix Mendelssohn and Fanny Hensel. The concert will be held at the Romanian Athenaeum, starting at 22:30.
One of the most interesting voices of her generation, mezzo-soprano Kate Lindsey, accompanied by pianist Baptiste Trotignon, will perform at the Romanian Athenaeum on Saturday, September 16, at 22:30. The program will include works by Kurt Weill (Nanna’s Lied, Buddy on the Nightshift – Berlin im Licht, Thousands of Miles), Alexander von Zemlinsky (Selige Stunde, Und hat der Tag all seine Qual), Alma Mahler (Die stille Stadt), and Erich Wolfgang Korngold (Schneeglöckchen).
On Sunday, September 17, organist Cameron Carpenter will give a recital on the Romanian Athenaeum stage. The first part of his recital will be dedicated to composer Johann Sebastian Bach (Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 537; Prelude and Fugue in C major, BWV 870; The Well-Tempered Clavier – Book II, Prelude and Fugue in F major, BWV 880; The Well-Tempered Clavier – Book II, Fantasia super – Komm, heiliger Geist BWV 651; O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde groß BWV 622; and Prelude and Fugue in E-flat major, BWV 552). In the second part, Cameron Carpenter will perform a series of his own improvisations.
On Friday, September 22, at 22:30, the harp recital by the French musician Xavier de Maistre takes place. Known for his creative approach, de Maistre presents incredible arrangements of works that are typically performed by a full orchestra. The program includes works by Jan Ladislav Dussek (Sonata in C major), Gabriel Fauré (Impromptu), George Enescu (Allegro de concert for chromatic harp), André Caplet (Divertissement à l’Espagnole; Divertissement à la Française), Bedřich Smetana (The Moldau), Claude Debussy (Clair de lune), and Henriette Renié (Légende).
The Midnight Concert Series concludes on Saturday, September 23, with a special event where the compositions of Argentine composer Carlos Guastavino come to life in a recital by tenor and conductor José Cura, alongside the Radio Chamber Orchestra. José Cura returns to the Romanian Athenaeum stage after composing a work dedicated to the Jubilee edition of the Enescu Festival in 2021.
Tickets are available in two price categories: Category II – 180 lei, Category I – 230 lei.
For more details about the World’s Great Orchestras Series, visit the dedicated section on the Enescu Festival website: https://www.festivalenescu.ro/series/by-midnight-concerts-festival/
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.
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The George Enescu International Festival is an event held under the High Patronage of the President of Romania.
Project financed by the Government of Romania through the Ministry of Culture.
Organizer: ARTEXIM
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