You are conducting a special concert this evening, which is dedicated to Royalty Day in Romania. How important is it to celebrate this day through music?

I think it is very important to preserve our traditions, and the Romanian Royal Housealready represents a great tradition of this country and I feel honoured to be able to conduct this concert, which is dedicated to the day of 10^th May, which I am sure every Romanian keeps in his soul as the true National Day of Romania. There are a lot of musicians in the orchestra who I was colleague with in college, even in high-school, actually, and we have even met several times after we graduated; it is a very fruitful collaboration and I must mention and also express my amazement particularly upon all the skill and the work we have put in during this week's rehearsals.

How did the dialogue between you and pianist Horia Mihail go and what is your opinion on this concert?

The dialogue between us has never been interrupted because Horia has been both my colleague and my friend for a very long time. To be completely honest, I didn't even talk to him before our first rehearsal, because we both view a piece of music similarly. We have met on many occasions on stage and there has never been any kind of differences in terms of musical vision between us so far. The musical vision which Horia is proposing to the public is an extremely valid one; I have always appreciated the ways in which he performs, what he chooses to perform - and I am not referring only to the Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18, by Rachmaninoff. As I have said, we have performed together on numerous occasions and he has risen to an exceptional level every time.

Why is the Symphony in D minor, by César Franck appropriate for a concert as such?

The Symphony in D minor, by César Franck is attired in a certain way. It is true that César Franck's work - he was a Belgian composer - was affected by an enormous number of French influences, but the structure, the spine and the design of this symphony is German in nature. Its verticality made me take into consideration the idea of including it in this concert's programme, which is dedicated to the Romanian Royal Family. Also, various colours are laid on this verticality, but this verticality will never deviate from its line.

We are waiting for you, as we always do, as we do every week, to join us and to receive the thrills which we are trying to give to you.