About the George Enescu International Festival

A HISTORY OF EXCELLENCE AND ELEGANCE

Once every two years, thousands of musicians, the best orchestras and artists in the world enchant the public with their performances at the George Enescu International Festival. A complete cycle of the compositions of Romanian composer George Enescu, opera, Family Concerts, modern and contemporary music, world and Romanian premieres, alongside the best selection of Classic, Romantic and Baroque music reveal a truly unique event made with love, generosity and excellence.

The George Enescu International Festival has been held in Bucharest, Romania since 1958 to honour and celebrate the memory, the music and the personality of Romanian composer, pianist, violinist and conductor George Enescu – considered “the greatest musical phenomenon since Mozart”.

It began in the years when the communist regime was new. It reached its first peak in the years when Romania was a semi-detached member of the Soviet bloc and so was more open to Western artists than most Eastern European countries. Only the Yugoslav festivals were able to present the finest musicians from both blocs in the same way.

And it became what it is today: one of the top international classical music events wordlwide organized by Romania.

Among the Festival’s Artistc Directors and Honorary Presidents, great names of the classical music scene were involved during it’s fascinating history – such as Lord Yehudi Menuhin, Lawrence Foster, Cristian Mandeal, Ioan Holender and Vladimir Jurowski, to name just a few.

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Enescu’s legacy continues to inspire our Romanian cultural heritage. We build on the principles and values of a complete artist, dedicated to the promotion of music, enriching the society that fosters its creation and allowing the transformative powers of its essence to elevate our spirit. On the basis of these principles and rooted in this understanding I am determined to continue building upon the monumental achievements of the Enescu Festival and the Enescu Competition.

Cristian Măcelaru - Artistic Director of the Enescu International Festival and Competition

The Enescu Festival is in the top of the schedule along with Lucerne, Edinburgh and the Proms. But it was not always like that. It took me eighteen years to persuade the Berlin Philharmonic to come.

Mihai Constantinescu - Executive Director of the George Enescu International Festival between 1992 – 2021

Festival Enescu is one of the first festivals in the world today

Zubin Mehta - Honorary President of the George Enescu International Festival and Competition

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About George Enescu

George Enescu: A Life Dedicated to Music

George Enescu (Born August 19, 1881, in Liveni, Botoșani – Died May 4, 1955, in Paris)

George Enescu is recognized as the most important Romanian musician. His extraordinary artistic talent spanned multiple domains: composer, violinist, educator, pianist, and conductor.

Enescu began studying the violin at the age of four under the guidance of his parents and fiddler Niculae Chioru. By the age of 5 or 6, he was already attempting his first compositions. His formal musical education started with Professor Eduard Caudella.

Studies in Vienna and Paris

Between 1888 and 1894, Enescu attended the Vienna Conservatory, studying violin under Joseph Hellmesberger Jr. and composition with Robert Fuchs. At just 8 years old, he debuted as a violinist and was hailed by the Viennese press as "a Romanian Mozart."

Following his studies in Vienna, Enescu continued at the Paris Conservatory (1895–1899), where he was mentored by Martin Pierre Marsick (violin), André Gédalge (counterpoint), Jules Massenet, and Gabriel Fauré (composition). Among his classmates were notable names such as Maurice Ravel, Florent Schmitt, Charles Koechlin, and Theodor Fuchs.

Early Career and Compositional Debut

Enescu made his compositional debut on February 6, 1898, at the Colonne Concerts in Paris with Poema Română, Op. 1, thanks to the support of Princess Elena Bibescu. That same year, at the age of 17, he began teaching violin and performing recitals in Bucharest. He was frequently invited to perform at Peleș Castle in Sinaia by Queen Elisabeth of Romania, known by her literary pseudonym Carmen Sylva.

Some of his most notable works from the early 20th century include the Two Romanian Rhapsodies, Op. 11 (1901–1902), Suite No. 1 for Orchestra, Op. 9 (1903), his first Symphony in E-flat Major, Op. 13 (1905), and Seven Songs on Poems by Clément Marot, Op. 15 (1908).

Professional Activities

Enescu was highly active in both Bucharest and Paris, touring extensively across Europe alongside renowned partners such as Alfredo Casella, Pablo Casals, and Louis Fournier. During World War I, he remained in Bucharest, conducting works by Beethoven, Berlioz, Debussy, Wagner, and his own compositions. In 1913, he founded the National Composition Contest to encourage Romanian musical creativity.

Later Years and Final Creations
After the war, Enescu continued touring Europe and the United States, conducting prestigious orchestras. His work as an educator had a profound influence, with famous students including Christian Ferras, Ivry Gitlis, Arthur Grumiaux, and Yehudi Menuhin, who described Enescu as "one of the true wonders of the world."

In 1936, his opera Oedipe premiered in Paris to great acclaim. During World War II, Enescu remained in Bucharest, fostering Romanian musical creativity and conducting extensively.

In 1946, Enescu toured the USSR and later the United States, eventually settling in Paris in protest against the communist regime in Romania. Among his final compositions were the String Quartet Op. 22 No. 2, the symphonic poem Vox Maris Op. 31, and the Chamber Symphony Op. 33.

George Enescu passed away during the night of May 3–4, 1955, and was buried at Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.