Today, October 28th, 2024, the International Festival "Propatria" concludes its European tour with a gala concert at the Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest. The event will be performed by the Bucharest Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Constantin Grigore, with soprano Teodora Gheorghiu and bass-baritone Sorin Coliban as guests. Details from Constantin Grigore in an interview with our colleague Ioana Țintea.

Constantin Grigore, you will be conducting the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra at the final gala of the ProPatria International Festival - Young Romanian Talents, at the Romanian Athenaeum.How did this collaboration come about?

I was happy to receive this collaboration from the "ProPatria" Association, from the "George Enescu" Philharmonic. As you were saying, on Monday, October 28th, at 7 p.m., the ProPatria International Festival - Young Romanian Talents (now in its 14th edition) will conclude its European journey with a gala concert and the ProPatria Excellence Awards Gala.

This concert is the closing of a journey that has brought Romanian culture closer to diaspora communities. And here we are talking about Italy, France, Turkey, Germany, Austria and, of course, Romania. In this closing concert, I will have the pleasure to be joined by soprano Teodora Gheorghiu and bass-baritone Sorin Coliban.

Artists with a distinguished international career!Have you had the chance to work with them before?

Not so far, but there always has to be a "debut" and I'm glad we finally have the chance to be together on the same stage.

The evening's program is diverse and includes both opera and symphonic works inspired by Romanian folklore.What surprises do you have in store for the audience?

That's right, we have designed a diverse and attractive program that will highlight the wonderful voices of the two soloists. We have prepared a program that includes works by Rossini, such as the overture of the opera "The Thieving Coțofana" or arias from "La Cenerentola" or "Viaggio a Reims", but also the overture of the opera "The Marriage of Figaro" followed by "Non piu andraifarfallone amoroso" from "The Marriage of Figaro" and the duet "La ci darem la mano", so much loved by the public. The program also includes folk-inspired works such as Bela Bartok's "7 Romanian Dances" or "Doina Stăncuței" by Tiberiu Brediceanu.

The International Festival ProPatria - Young Romanian Talents, initiated in 2011, aims to valorize young Romanian artists from the diaspora and to promote the unity of Romanians from all over the world through culture.In your opinion, how important is this initiative for Romanian culture and for artists living abroad?

I welcome this initiative and I am glad that there are people and associations that bring good quality music closer to the Romanian public and, more than that, Romanian artists who make us happy with all that they do abroad. I think it is very important to have these artists on Romanian stages, because the Romanian public really wants to see them. And this is a chance that we should enjoy and come to the Romanian Athenaeum on Monday.