Cristian Măcelaru to Open the Enescu Festival's Anniversary Edition with the "George Enescu" Philharmonic Orchestra
The George Enescu International Festival 2025, one of the most prestigious international events dedicated to classical music, will debut on August 24, 2025 at the Palace Hall in Bucharest. The opening concert will feature the "George Enescu" Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir and the renowned violinist Nemanja Radulović, under the baton of maestro Cristian Măcelaru.
The program includes the Concerto for Orchestra signed by Dan Dediu, in its absolute first audition, the Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D minor by Aram Haciaturian and the Romanian Poem op. 1 by George Enescu.
Romanian composer Dan Dediu has written over 180 opuses covering almost all musical genres, from symphonies and concertos to chamber music and operas, surprising each time with the complexity and refinement of his creations - true reference points in contemporary Romanian music.
Aram Khachaturian's Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D minor is one of the most beloved works in the 20th century violin repertoire. The concerto interweaves allusions to traditional Armenian rhythms with lyrical passages, thus highlighting not only the soloist's interpretative technique, but also the expressiveness and depth of musical thought.
The evening will conclude with George Enescu's Romanian Poem, op. 1, written by the great Romanian composer at the age of 16 and banned during the communist era. The Romanian Poem is a perfect expression of Enescu's mastery of valorizing tradition and folkloric motifs in a modern and universal musical vision.
The opening concert of the George Enescu International Festival will benefit from the visual support created by multimedia directors Nona Ciobanu and Peter Košir.
The name of the internationally renowned Romanian conductor Cristian Măcelaru is synonymous with excellence, being appreciated for his profound musicality, dynamic leadership and unwavering devotion to artistic expression. The youngest artistic director in the history of the George Enescu International Festival and Competition, Cristian Măcelaru is not only a promoter of change and innovation in the musical world, but also a strong ambassador of George Enescu's spirit and creation, the complete Enescu symphonic works being released in April 2024 under the aegis of the Deutsche Grammophon record label.
The album won three prestigious awards – the International Classical Music Awards (ICMA) in the Symphonic Music category, one of the most well-known and appreciated in the recording industry, the Classica Choc de l' année 2024 and the Diapason d'Or, and in January 2025 the Union of Music Critics, Editors and Producers awarded the same album the Record of the Year Award.
Winner of a GRAMMY Award in 2020, Cristian Măcelaru is the music director of the Orchestre National de France, music director and conductor of the Cabrillo Contemporary Music Festival, chief conductor of the WDR Sinfonieorchester and, since 2025, music director-designate of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
World-renowned Serbian-French violinist Nemanja Radulović is recognized for his virtuosity and innovative approaches to classical music, distinguished by his expressive style and energy on stage. Although he began his career with classical repertoire, he has also established himself in the interpretation of contemporary and less conventional works.
Throughout his career, Nemanja Radulović has won important awards, including – in 2001 – First Prize at the George Enescu International Competition, violin section, and has performed numerous concerts on major stages around the world, collaborating with prestigious orchestras and renowned conductors, and his performances are appreciated for his impeccable technique and unique charisma.
" George Enescu " Philharmonic Orchestra is the most representative musical institution in Romania, with a history of over a century and a half. The Philharmonic Orchestra has created a complex discography, among which are the complete symphonic works of George Enescu and Johannes Brahms. In addition to the current symphonic and chamber concerts (approximately 300 annually), the Philharmonic has recorded dozens of albums (LP and CD) and has undertaken successful tours in Europe, Asia and the Far East, thus earning an international reputation.
" George Enescu " Philharmonic Choir celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. Having been on the European circuit for many years, the Philharmonic Choir tours internationally, standing out in concert halls in Spain, France, Italy, Bulgaria and Greece. Notable successes recorded in recent times include collaborations with orchestras and conductors of international caliber within the Enescu Festival: Daniel Barenboim and Staatskapelle Berlin (in 2013, with Four Sacred Pieces by Verdi) and Vladimir Jurowski and the London Philharmonic Orchestra (in 2017, with Enescu's Oedipus , a performance later performed at the opening of the current season of the same British musical institution).
Tickets for the opening concert of the George Enescu International Festival 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.
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, discounted tickets for pupils/students/pensioners – 90 lei.
The organizers reserve the right to modify the program. 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
The George Enescu International Festival is one of the most important classical music events at an international level, organized since 1958. The XXVII edition of the festival takes place between August 24 and September 21, 2025 and will mark the 70th anniversary of the death of the great composer and musician George Enescu. The theme of this year's edition is "Anniversaries / Celebrations", and the festival program will include over 95 concerts performed by over 4,000 of the world's most renowned artists, which will bring to the forefront 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.
A cultural project financed by the Government of Romania through the Ministry of Culture.
Organizer: ARTEXIM
Co-organizer: Art Production Foundation
Co-producers: Romanian Broadcasting Society, Romanian Television Society, Bucharest City Hall through ARCUB – Bucharest Cultural Center
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
Tickets: www.eventim.ro
The organizers reserve the right to modify the programs. Please visit the George Enescu International Festival website, www.festivalenescu.ro, for the latest information.
Press details:
For additional information, interviews or images from the event, please contact the festival’s communication department.
CONTACT:
Bianca Boitan-Rusu
Media Relations Coordinator