George Enescu Festival Starts in Bucharest

The 26th edition of the George Enescu International Festival began on Sunday, August 27, in Bucharest.

For 29 days, more than 3,500 invited artists will perform on the stages of the Palatului Hall, the Romanian Athenaeum, the Radio Hall, the Auditorium Hall and the Odeon Theatre during 90 concerts held in Bucharest. Bucharest will host concerts performed by 51 orchestras from 16 countries, 150 soloists, and over 60 conductors, participating in the most important artistic event Romania offers to the world: George Enescu International Music Festival.

This year’s official program includes six series of concerts, each with a different theme, built for the specifics of each hall and the audience it is addressed to. The series of great orchestras of the world – brings 13 international orchestras and three orchestras from Romania to the stage of the Sala Palatului in a musical marathon of 29 concerts in 29 consecutive days.

The series of Romanian orchestras represents the meeting of the public with the interpretative qualities of orchestras from our country, each with its own specifics, in a varied program, which includes romantic or modern authors as well as contemporary music. The program will include ten representative ensembles from Bucharest and five other cities in the country.

Among the essential orchestras that will participate in this year’s edition are the Vienna Philharmonic, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam, the National Orchestra of France, the Tonhalle Orchestra in Zurich, the London Symphony Orchestra and the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra.

First-class international conductors will take the stage in Bucharest and the country, and among them are Cristian Măcelaru, Zubin Mehta, Sir Simon Rattle, Wilson Hermanto, Paavo Jarvi, Delyana Lazarova, Lawrence Foster or Vladimir Jurowski.

More than 60 concerts will be broadcast live on the Enescu Festival website. The complete list is available on the website www.festivalenescu.ro.

Not only that, but, for those who cannot get to the festival, there is a live streaming on the festival’s page.

About the George Enescu International Festival

The George Enescu International Festival is one of the most important international classical music events since 1958. The 26th edition of the festival takes place between August 27 and September 24, and the edition’s theme is „Generosity through music.” The festival program includes over 3,500 of the world’s most famous artists, over 40 orchestras from 16 countries, opera works in their first audition and educational concerts for children.

For the full schedule and other details on the events, please access this page.

Coming to Bucharest for the George Enescu Festival? Please check our partner’s Bucharest Travel Guide 2023.