Dear maestro Dan Grigore, now that you find yourself again on the stage of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation, this time for a truly remarkable event, could you share a few thoughts with our listeners?

I don’t think that having here today one of the most important leaders of our nation and of this entire part of Europe before the heinous years of communism, King Michael I, should be seen as a remarkable event. His greatness has been acknowledged by the allied parties, winners of the world’s conflagration and his fundamental contribution in raising awareness of the war, as well as in saving hundreds of thousands of people, was never doubted. This should be seen as the object of a remarkable national pride. Being the contemporaries of King Michael I, so close to the beam conveyed by his formidable and gentle, but at the same time thorough and vigorous personality should represent an opportunity to increase the national consciousness to the rank that Romania should have had all along. I’m talking about the national identity, which is not fully understood by all our compatriots.

It’s a privilege for me to be able to offer to the Royal House, in honour of King Michael I’s birthday and also His Majesty’s name day, this ensemble of extremely valuable works, which are highly appreciated in the musical world and rightfully considered musical jewels. I will dedicate the programme to Her Highness, Queen Ana, as well and to the entire royal family. I could talk for hours about the correlations these events generate in my mind and heart; this reminds me of an occurrence that happened the following years after the communism ended, at the beginning of the ’90s. Soon after the death of Ceauşescu, I went on a trip to Versoix, enjoying my new life as a free citizen and the fact that I was now allowed to wander across Europe. The first of those trips I took was to Versoix. While I was on the train taking me from Zurich to Versoix, I experienced a paradoxical emotion; it felt like I was returning home, to a part of my country that had never been accessible to me before, except maybe through the pain I felt in 1947, a reflection of my parents’ feelings at the forced abdication of His Majesty King Michael. I think that this paradox is characteristic to the destiny of Romania, a country that we love and for which we wish the best – the best we can provide at least, as our conscience may or may not dictate and for as long as we are able to act accordingly.