Square in Paris to Be Named after Famous Romanian Composer George Enescu

Situated near the Opera, one square in Paris will be named “Georges Enesco’. This is an homage to the famous Romanian composer George Enescu.

George Enescu, who passed away in 1955, is considered the greatest Romanian composer. The classical music festival organized every two years at the Romanian Athenaeum is named ‘George Enescu,’ and the Philarmonic Orchestra playing at the Athenaeum is also called ‘George Enescu.’

The decision of Paris Cityhall closes most beautifully this year, that was dedicated to Enescu, under the highest patronage of the two presidents, Klaus Iohannis and Emmanuel Macron. Starting with the presence of the Frech National Orchestra at the 25th edition of the George Enescu Festival in Bucharest and until the staging of the Opera Oedipus at Bastille Opera, there were numerous homages that Romania and France brought to George Enescu at his 140th year since his birth.

Romanian Ambassador to France, H.E. Luca Niculescu

The most appreciated works of the Romanian composer are ‘The Romanian Rapsody I and II’ and “Oedipus” the last one being his only Opera.

Unfortunately for Romania, the rights for his work don’t belong to his heirs or the Romanian state. They belong to the French publishing houses Salabert and Enoch.

Will the Romanian state ever bring the rights on the Opera of the greatest composer back to the country? It’s hard to say, but we think it’s a shame for all the Romanians not to print the music sheets of his works without paying the rights to the French publishing houses. Some years ago, the director of the George Enescu Festival in Bucharest complained about this situation, telling the journalists the festival couldn’t offer music sheets to the musicians playing on the stage as the French did not publish them or disapproved of their publishing for the festival.

It is not about money here, it is about Romania’s national interest, but the authorities seem not to know this particular interest in this specific case.