The 27th edition of the „George Enescu” International Festival, Romania’s foremost cultural event and one of the globe’s most esteemed classical music festivals, kicks off on Sunday and will wrap up on September 21. For a duration of four weeks, Bucharest transforms into the international hub of classical music, uniting over 4,000 artists from 28 nations in more than 100 concerts. This year, the festival marks 70 years since George Enescu’s death and, under the artistic guidance of Cristian Măcelaru, showcases an edition founded on three key pillars: Enescu’s legacy, artistic creativity, and community outreach, featuring an extensive series of concerts across various Romanian cities and a welcoming attitude towards new generations. The festival introduces spectacular innovations, including the launch of the Enescu in Control and Enescu – JTI Immersive Experience concert series, as well as the return of opera and ballet to the festival lineup, as reported by Agerpres.ro.
Program for the George Enescu Festival in 2025
In the 2025 edition, audiences can experience over 45 performances of George Enescu’s compositions, from the renowned Romanian Rhapsodies to Symphonies, Orchestral Suites, uncommon chamber music, and the grand opera „Oedipe,” presented in a production by visionary director Stefano Poda with an esteemed cast. Conductor Tiberiu Soare will conduct the event, featuring Ruxandra Donose, Ionuţ Pascu, Ramona Zaharia, Vazgen Gazaryan, and other standout voices from the global lyrical stage. Over 4,000 artists from 28 countries will take to the festival stages, including legendary orchestras and young prodigies. Orchestras such as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Tonhalle-Orchester Zurich, Orchestre National de France, Czech Philharmonic, Budapest Festival Orchestra, WDR Symphony Orchestra, Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester, Accademia Bizantina, Orchestra Academiei Santa Cecilia, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Il Giardino Armonico, and many more bring their excellence to Bucharest.
Festival expansion to more cities in 2025
The 2025 edition expands the Enescu Festival’s reach to additional cities in Romania – Iaşi, Cluj-Napoca, Timişoara, Sibiu, Braşov, Constanţa, Oradea, Arad, Târgu Mureş, Craiova, Satu Mare, and other cultural hubs – which, over four weeks, serve as venues for prestigious ensembles and top soloists. Therefore, the festival is not solely for Bucharest but for the entire nation. The Enescu Festival, organized by ARTEXIM, under the High Patronage of the President of Romania and funded by the Romanian Government through the Ministry of Culture, stands as a true national brand and a significant cultural diplomacy initiative, as stated by the organizers. The National Press Agency AGERPRES serves as a longstanding media partner of the Festival.
