The famous conductor Paavo Järvi will take the conductor's desk of the renowned Tonhalle Orchestra in Zurich, for two concerts of high artistic quality, scheduled for Tuesday, September 2 and Wednesday, September 3, 2025, from 8:00 PM, at the Palace Hall, as part of this year's Enescu Festival.

The first concert proposes a program of great emotional intensity, which includes: Prelude to Oedipus by George Enescu, Concerto No. 2 in G minor for cello and orchestra op. 126 by Dmitri Shostakovich, performed by the renowned soloist Alisa Weilerstein , and Symphony No. 2 in E minor op. 27 by Sergei Rachmaninoff.

On the second evening, the audience will have the opportunity to listen to the impressive Symphony No. 2 for orchestra, soprano, alto and mixed choir in C minor , The Resurrection , by Gustav Mahler. The George Enescu Philharmonic Choir, conducted by Iosif Ion Prunner, will also participate in this exceptional moment.

Born in Estonia in 1962, Paavo Järvi comes from a family with a rich musical tradition, being the son of the acclaimed conductor Neeme Järvi and brother of Kristjan Järvi, also a conductor. After studying at the Tallinn Conservatory, he moved to the United States, where he continued his training at the Curtis Institute of Music and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute, under the guidance of the legendary Leonard Bernstein.
Considered one of the most important conductors of our time, Paavo Järvi is recognized for his expressive performances and for his ability to bring a new breath to the classical repertoire. Throughout his career , he has established himself through his interpretative precision, artistic sensitivity and ability to revitalize the symphonic repertoire. He is both music director of the Tonhalle Orchestra in Zurich and the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, and in the past he has led major symphonic ensembles: Orchestre de Paris (2010-2016), NHK Symphony Orchestra Tokyo (2015-2022), Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra (2006-2013), Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (2001-2011).
Järvi is also a benchmark for symphonic complete works, including Beethoven, Brahms, Bruckner, Sibelius, Tchaikovsky and Mahler. He has been awarded a Grammy Award (2003) for his recording of Jean Sibelius's "Cantata", as well as numerous international awards, including the Opus Klassik Award "Conductor of the Year" (2019) and the European Cultural Prize (2022).
Founded in 1868, the Tonhalle Orchestra in Zurich is one of the oldest and most prestigious symphony orchestras in Europe. With a vast repertoire that combines classicism with modernity, the ensemble is appreciated for its clear, refined and deeply expressive sound.
Over the years, the orchestra has been led by world-renowned conductors: Wilhelm Furtwängler, Bruno Walter, David Zinman and Charles Dutoit. In 2019, under the baton of Paavo Järvi, the ensemble began a new artistic chapter, winning international awards for its recordings, such as: Diapason d'Or (2019, 2021, 2023), Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik (2020), ICMA Award for Best Symphonic Recording (2024).
The orchestra is made up of about 100 musicians from 20 countries and performs over 100 concerts per season, both in Switzerland and on major international stages, at the Berlin Philharmonic, BBC Proms, Carnegie Hall or the Vienna Konzerthaus.
Its landmark recordings include the complete symphonies of Mahler, Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert and Tchaikovsky, and the ensemble 's first recording collaboration with Paavo Järvi – dedicated to the orchestral works of Olivier Messiaen – was awarded the Diapason d'Or.

The Tonhalle Orchestra in Zurich and conductor Paavo Järvi received the 2022 European Cultural Prize.

A true star of the world cello, Alisa Weilerstein stands out for her passionate performances, her emotional depth being doubled by an impeccable technique. Born in 1982 in the United States, she began playing the cello at just four years old and made her debut at New York Town Hall at 13. She studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music and Columbia University, later perfecting herself under the guidance of famous teachers.

Weilerstein quickly established herself on the international stage, collaborating with the world's greatest orchestras, including: the Berlin Philharmonic, the New York Philharmonic, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic. In 2011, she was awarded the MacArthur "genius grant", an award given to artists with exceptional contributions in their field of activity . An innovative project of Alisa Weilerstein is "FRAGMENTS", a series of solo concerts that combine fragments of Bach's cello suites with contemporary works, in a multisensory format. Within this project, she collaborated with director Elkhanah Pulitzer, creating an immersive artistic experience.
career highlights include: the premiere of Thomas Larcher's cello concerto with the New York Philharmonic and Bavarian Radio Symphony, concerts with Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, in which he presented a new work by Gabriela Ortiz, solo recitals at Carnegie Hall and the Spoleto Festival USA, as well as international tours with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic and Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
His impressive discography includes landmark albums, such as Bach's solo cello suites, released in 2020 on Pentatone, or recordings awarded with international awards, such as the BBC Music "Recording of the Year" Award.

Tickets can be purchased both online, from the Eventim.ro platform, https://www.cts.eventim.ro/artist/festivalul-george-enescu , and in physical format, from the Carrefour hypermarket network and the Cărturești and Humanitas bookstore chains.

For concerts at the Palace Hall, tickets are divided into six categories: VIP – 280 lei, Category 1 – 250 lei, Category 2 – 200 lei, Category 3 – 150 lei, Category 4 – 120 lei, reduced tickets for pupils/students/pensioners – 90 lei.
The organizers reserve the right to modify the programs. Please visit the George Enescu International Festival website, http://www.festivalenescu.ro/ , to stay up to date with the latest information.

About the George Enescu International Festival
George Enescu International Festival is one of the largest classical music events in the world, organized since 1958. The 27th edition takes place between August 24 and September 21, 2025 and marks the 70th anniversary of the death of the great Romanian composer and musician, George Enescu. This year's theme is " Anniversaries / Celebrations ", and the program includes over 95 concerts performed by over 4,000 of the world's most renowned artists, which will bring to the fore both Enescu's artistic legacy and his profound impact on universal classical music.

The George Enescu International Festival is an event held under the High Patronage of the President of Romania.
Cultural project funded by the Romanian Government through the Ministry of Culture.
Organizer: ARTEXIM
Co-organizer: ArtProduction Foundation
Co-producers: Romanian Broadcasting Company, Romanian Television Company, Bucharest City Hall through ARCUB – Cultural Center of Bucharest
Main partners: Rompetrol – KMG International, BRD – Groupe Société Générale, JTI – Immersive Experience (innovation partner), Lexus (mobility partner)
Partners: Purcari, One United Properties, Mobexpert, Nazzuro Aqua, L'OR, Althaus, Liliana and Peter Ilica Foundation, Senia Music 
Monitoring partner: mediaTRUST