The "Madrigal - Marin Constantin" National Chamber Choir will hold a national tour dedicated to the Easter holidays between April 1st and April 17th. The shows conducted by Anna Ungureanu will feature actors Marius Turdeanu and Theo Marton as guests, in a setting that illustrates sequences from the Gospels of the New Testament. What can you tell us about the "Passion Week" Tour program?

The "Passion Week" program is very special and very profound. The show, which premiered 3 years ago in the "Madrigal" Choir's seasons, brings an added sensitivity and a very precise account where the music supports this entire Passion Week, starting from Palm Sunday and until the moment of the Resurrection. We have a very beautiful program and we are happy to start this tour in Câmpina, on April 1st, where April is also "Madrigal Month". The whole city celebrates this month, as Marin Constantin is now in his centenary year, born in a town near Câmpina, Urleta.

Well, then we go to Bacău, where we are happy to meet again after two years with the Bacău audience, and where we will have the same show. We return to Bucharest and then go to Pitești, Râmnicu Vâlcea, Timișoara, so that as we approach the Easter holidays, on Holy Thursday, we will be in Bucharest, on April 17th, and bring the "Passion Week" show.

"Passion Week", as you said, with guest actors and the "Madrigal" Choir conducted by Anna Ungureanu is more than just a concert. It is a spectacular set designed by Vladimir Turturica, a set that brings the City of Jerusalem on stage, a mobile set that creates many profound passages and supports this suffering of the Savior, especially in the last days of his life.

The repertoire identified by Anna Ungureanu and put into this show manages to augment the biblical texts we use very well and which, practically, manages to make a very good synthesis of this extremely important week of humanity, when we talk about spirituality, for both experienced audiences and young people.

This year marks 100 years since the birth of Maestro Marin Constantin, the founder of the "Madrigal" Choir. Does the Easter tour also bear the imprint of this celebration?

Absolutely, all the events this year are under this beautiful symbol that watches over us, Marin Constantin - 100. The one who imagined and founded the "Madrigal" Choir in 1963 turned 100 on February 27th. And we say he turned 100 because the spirit of Marin Constantin is still in the "Madrigal" repertoire, in the "Madrigal" singing style and, why not, in all the activities outside the concerts that "Madrigal" organizes.

The Easter tour has already become a tradition in the choir's artistic activity. What's new for the audience this year?

I don't know if it necessarily brings something new, but there are new locations where we come and bring the "Passion Week" Tour. In principle, the "Madrigal" Choir has established this repertoire policy for 5 years, in which we create new productions that we then roll out and try to make them reach as many locations in Romania as possible. This means that, practically, a well-set show, a well-built show comes with its experience and delights more and more people. So, it's very hard for me to say that it brings something new for the "Madrigal" Choir show, but, for sure, for the communities we go to, it's an absolute novelty.

The shows take place with the participation of children's choirs from the Cantus Mundi National Program - a program launched in 2011. What impact have you observed these events have had over the years for children who have the opportunity to be on stage with a professional ensemble?

The impact is fantastic, because the self-esteem, the confidence, the perspective that these children receive when they appear with the "Madrigal" and not only with the "Madrigal", when they appear in front of the audience and receive applause, and are recognized, and their work is rewarded, practically develops in them a mechanism by which self-confidence increases, by which they realize how important their role is in a community.

Not long ago, Earth Hour took place where, from the Cantus Mundi choirs in Romania, more than 19.500 children sang together at the same time throughout the country, in 153 locations. You realize, this result, which is formidable for us, is also due to this policy in which the "Madrigal" Choir's concerts and shows always have a moment dedicated to this collaboration between the youngest and the most experienced, between the children from the Cantus Mundi choirs, who have a very large social diversity, diversity of social conditions, health conditions, effectively from the spaces they come from, but they meet under the same umbrella, under Cantus Mundi, led by the "Madrigal" Choir and Anna Ungureanu, and they realize how important they are for the communities they address.