Cristian Măcelaru commences first season as Artistic Director of George Enescu Festival, featured in Classical Music UK

'I am extremely motivated to continue this great tradition of creating a magnificent statement in promoting the legacy of Enescu himself.’ Photo Credit: Sorin Popa

Christian Măcelaru Launches First Season as Artistic Director of George Enescu Festival
By Florence Lockheart
Classical Music UK
August 23 2023

The George Enescu International Festival will make its return later this week with its first edition under new artistic director Cristian Măcelaru. Based in Bucharest, the 2023 festival will extend its concerts and events to six cities across Romania, running from 27 August to 24 September.

Focusing on the theme of ‘generosity through music’, this year’s festival will present more than 40 orchestras from 16 countries, and over 3,500 artists overall. As well as concert series focusing on Romanian Orchestras and on ‘great orchestras of the world’, the festival will present a series of family concerts aimed at younger audiences as well as opera premieres, and educational concerts for children.

Măcelaru said: ‘The George Enescu International Festival has become over the years one of the most important cultural events on the globe. And the fact that Romania created the concept of this festival, and then supported it for so many years, proves a deep appreciation for culture and art. I am extremely motivated to continue this great tradition of creating a magnificent statement in promoting the legacy of Enescu himself.’

Măcelaru will himself lead the opening concert of the festival on 27 August, conducting the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra with soloist Gautier Capuçon. The festival presents its first concert in Cluj-Napoca on 31 August welcoming pianist Andrei Gologan alongside the Transylvania Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by recently-appointed Baltimore Symphony Orchestra music director Jonathon Heyward.

Read the full article here.