It may sound too simple, but the impression I left the room with was that of an evening full of emotion and sensitivity. The concert took place on the Day of the Union of Bessarabia with Romania, when the Bucharest National Opera Orchestra conducted by Daniel Jinga, on Friday, March 27, at the “Maria Biesu” National Theater of Opera and Ballet in Chisinau, was at the center of an event organized by the Romanian Cultural Institute, in partnership with the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Moldova.
Daniel Jinga PHOTO Archive
Together with the Bucharest National Opera Orchestra conducted by Daniel Jinga, famous soloists performed on stage, such as Valentina Naforniță, Alexandru Tomescu, Damian Drăghici and Ana Cebotari, the line-up being completed by the extraordinary participation of the “Doina” Academic Choir Chapel of the “Serghei Lunchevici” National Philharmonic from Chisinau, conducted by Ilona Stepan.
By their very nature, anniversary shows have the mark of a type of festivity that sometimes overshadows the artistic act itself, taking the emotional content of the message to the background and representing a risk for the artistic value of the event itself.
The Bucharest National Opera Orchestra, with its general director, conductor Daniel Jinga, at the lectern, also in the position of presenter and binder of artistic moments celebrating the moment of the Union of Bessarabia with Romania, wanted to contradict this preconceived idea, luckily succeeding in breaking the pattern and giving not only form, but also a real emotional and ideological content to this very special anniversary moment.
The program began in the spirit of going through the most diverse forms of processing Romanian folklore in academic music, to continue with an international part, with the idea of exactly this natural European and universal inclusion of Romanian culture. The evening was framed musically by Fandacsia op.170 for orchestra
by Dan Dediu and Romanian Rhapsody no. 1
by George Enescu, and as Romanian music it included Ballades for violin and orchestra
by George Enescu and Ciprian Porumbescu, but also adaptations of traditional songs Lie, lark, Cross the hill to Băiuț
and Until I loved you by Anton Pann, in orchestrations made by Cristian Lolea, the international repertoire happily completing the program.
Literally, important names of the lyrical and instrumental scene from Romania and the Republic of Moldova shone – because at this moment in the musical field it is very difficult to draw a border – who managed to fully reaffirm their international class and the prestige they enjoy among the public on both banks of the Prut through the quality of their interpretation. And we remember again the sopranos Valentina Naforniță (in a remarkable form in all the moments performed) and Ana Cebotari, seconded by the tenor Dumitru Mâţu, the famous violinist Alexandru Tomescu and the naist Damian Drăghici. The “Doina” choir of the Chisinau Philharmonic was also exceptional, an ideal partner for the Orchestra of the National Opera in Bucharest, which continues a splendid period of its international appearances, here not only in the season on the Bucharest stage, from which it was absent for this gala, moreover, only one day, between the preview and the premiere with The Barber of Seville.
Although the evening of March 27th brought to the stages of Chisinau no less than four shows dedicated to the celebration of the Great Union of Bessarabia with Romania, the hall of the “Maria Biesu” Theater was crowded, with a warm and generous audience, who appreciated the event with ovations and repeated calls to the stage for the artists.
The program included Concert no. 2 for violin and orchestra
by Niccolo Paganini, with Alexandru Tomescu as soloist
PHOTO Archive
The vocal section of the evening included Lie, lark,
Cross the hill to Băiuț
(traditional songs) and Until I loved you
(Anton Pann), orchestration by Cristian Lolea: Ana Cebotari, “Doina” Academic Choral Chapel of the “Serghei Lunchevici” National Philharmonic from Chisinau & Bucharest National Opera Orchestra, Sono Andati?
(aria from the opera La Boheme by Giacomo Puccini), Meine Lieppe
(Giuditta's aria from the operetta Giuditta by Franz Lehar) and Rusalka's aria
(from the opera Rusalka by Antonín Dvořák): Valentina Naforniță & Bucharest National Opera Orchestra
The instrumental pieces in the program were Staccato Hora
by Grigoraș Dinicu, The bog
(traditional song, orchestration made by Andrei Tudor) and
lark: Damian Drăghici & Bucharest National Opera Orchestra,
Fandacsia op.170 for orchestra
by Dan Dediu – Bucharest National Opera Orchestra, Romanian Rhapsody no. 1
by George Enescu – Bucharest National Opera Orchestra
The event marked the historic moment of the Union of Bessarabia with Romania in 1918 and brings together artists from both banks of the Prut, reaffirming the unity of language, culture and European spirit.
Soprano
Valentina Nafornita
is one of the most appreciated lyrical artists from the Republic of Moldova. Laureate of prestigious competitions, including the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World – Lied category, the artist performed on the great stages of Europe and was a member of the ensemble of the Vienna State Opera.
violinist
Alexander Tomescusoloist of the Radio Romania Orchestras and Choirs, is known both for his virtuosity and for the cultural projects through which he brings classical music closer to the public. His interpretations on the Stradivarius Elder-Voicu violin, a national heritage instrument, are appreciated for their depth and expressiveness.
Damian Draghici
he is a master of the flute and a well-known promoter of Romanian music in the world. A graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston, the artist has built an international career in which he combines jazz influences, traditional music and classical sounds, contributing to redefining the expressiveness of this emblematic instrument for the Romanian musical heritage.
Bessarabian soprano Ana Cebotari
is known for its projects that bring together tradition and contemporary musical expression by reinterpreting folk sounds in an artistic formula that combines traditional authenticity with the expressive richness of the symphony orchestra.
The anniversary concert dedicated to March 27 is complementary to the cultural initiatives carried out in the framework of the partnership between the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Moldova and the Romanian Cultural Institute, such as the support of European tours of creators from the Republic of Moldova or the extraordinary concert of the European Youth Orchestra EUYO organized in the Republic of Moldova on the occasion of Europe Day.
