Pianist Mădălina Pașol will perform on Wednesday, 18th of March 2026 on the stage of the Grand Hall of the Romanian Athenaeum, followed by an autograph session for her newest album "Algo-ritm", which got released in 2024 by Casa Radio Publishing House. Mădălina Pașol shared details with us about the programme and the special features she prepared in an interview with Ana Sireteanu.

Mădălina Pașol, you are to return on the Romanian Athenaeum's stage with a new recital along with two other pianists. Why did you include the two musical collaborations with Tudor Mânzatu and Alexandru Țală, and how would you describe your relationship with them?

I've known Tudor Mânzatu and Alexandru Țală for a long time, and our collaboration is ongoing. I've known Alex Țală since he was 12 - we've collaborated under a masterclass format until he graduated from the Conservatory. I can say that my influence on his skillset for this instrument is quite deep, and I wanted for us to perform together because we feel music the same way. I hope we succeeded in making Enescu's Rhapsody No. 1 version for two pianos to be a special moment for the audience at the Atheneum. I've known Tudor for a few years and I also worked with him in a masterclass, and we both really wanted to perform Rachmaninoff's Barcarolle as a piano duet. I hope it will be an equally special moment for the show, because I think it fits perfectly into the programme that I've put together.

The show includes works for piano solos and duets alike. Two original arrangements will be featured on the stage of the Romanian Athenaeum. What makes these versions of George Enescu and Franz Liszt's rhapsodies be so special?

It's the pianists' desire to showcase the instrument's auditive and technical range, as well as to mesmerise the audience with this instrument. I simply started playing around with Liszt's Rhapsody while I was studying it and I discovered that Liszt was an exceptional improviser. I don't consider myself a great improviser because I'm a perfectionist and I have always been a traditional player, but I realized that the piano can encompass the sounds made by an orchestra while playing around with this rhapsody, and thus I allowed myself to blend these bits into Liszt's piece. I've performed this piece in the past for the Enescu Festival, and yet again the Athenaeum's stage, and I can say that it was a resounding success.

Artists come up with new ideas for recitals and concerts everywhere. What do you think about this trend? What are the best ways to build a personal relationship with the audience?

Artists must always listen to what the audience wants. I've noticed this trend of turning live shows digital in Romania as of late. It's a wonderful idea, because it meets the visual needs of the audience, sends a clearer message about what the composer wished to express through their work, as well as meeting the audience's need to understand what the artist wants to convey through their art. So, I think it's a good idea. Of course, that strays a bit from the essence of what a recital is, but the audience must express show interest in the musical number for that to work, which is different from improvisation. That is why I chose to perform pieces such as Liszt's Sonata and Chopin's Heroic Polonaise for my show, because that is where I find myself at home as a concert pianist. However, I chose to introduce more modern creations within the second part of the show. I didn't get to work with digital art very much yet, which is why I don't have a visual presentation of these works as we speak; I hope that the power of the piano alone can capture the audience's attention for enough time in order to succeed.

What other projects do you have in store for the future?

I have one in collaboration with the Art Avenue ensemble from Pitești which I'm enthusiastic about - we'll perform our own arrangements of pop and rock music, as well as Camille Saint-Saëns's The Carnival of the Animals, of course. This ensemble will feature my children and those of the artists who play the violin, cello, and piano. It's absolutely beautiful - I'm thrilled to have Sara Gheorghiu, Ava Pașol, Irina Pașol, Ondin Bezeanu, and Andrei Zefir Brezeanu by our side, as it's a project that comes from my heart and I love it very much. I cordially invite you on the 5th of May to Adam and the Piano show at the National Theatre, where I shall perform along with Eduard Adam, a friend and a wonderful actor.