The "Classic is Fantastic" days propose the public two shows at the Romanian Athenaeum and four shows hosted at the Odeon Theatre. For the two events at the Athenaeum, there are only two more tickets available.

Mrs. Cristina Sarbu, at the end of this week, the project "Classic is Fantastic" gets 14 years old, which you will celebrate through a two days festival. I would like to take a quick look at the past and ask you to tell us how did the project begin and what was its evolution?

I was in 2010 and I wanted to create a musical education project for children. The Master Mandeal was back then the director of the Philharmonica and his highness was also excited. But, as usually, for any project full of willingness and enthusiasm, there were no money. It lasted until we managed to raise on our feet, because the project "Classic is Fantastic" is maintained only by sponsorisations, but year after year we managed to convince with full auditorium. And now, after 14 years, I am able to also financially sustain the "Classic is Fantastic" mini-festival which is pretty consistent, with four shows at the Odeon Theatre and with two show-concerts at the Romanian Theatre.

You are the author of the "The Childhood of the Great Musicians" collection for children, in which you raise their appetite for the world of music. For these volumes you recently received the MUSICRIT Award for Publishing. I would kindly ask you to tell us how the books and the shows from the "Childhood of the Great Musicians" were received and what you chose for the "Classic is Fantastic" days?

When in the auditorium of the Romanian Athenaeum in the anteroom, at the "Classic is Fantastic" concerts were parked 4, 5, 6 strollers, and the voices of some amazing creatures of a few months to one-two years were "bothering" the public, I decided to create the series "Classic is Fantastic. The Childhood of the Great Musicians" at the Odeon Theatre- theatre shows with music, profoundly interactive for children from 3-4 years to 7-8 years. This way, "Classic is Fantastic. How to understand music", that I make in collaboration with The Philharmonica "George Enescu", remains with the age that now defines it, 7+. We established to present the smallest from the small ones, the great composers of all times. Of course, we began with Mozart, Vivaldi, Beethoven, Chopin, and we got to Vieuxtemps, Gershwin, Bartok, Enescu. There are 13 titles that should be played on the scene of the Odeon Theatre.

With the occasion of this festival, we brought on scene shows we didn't play for 7-8-9 years. Sonthey are basically premieres for the public that changes from year to year. We want to convince the public that there is not only Vivaldi and Mozart, but also Bartok, Gershwin, fantastic composers, that seem to inspire fear, or, at least, lack of trust, but in our shows are able to draw attention, and to be remembered by the children and also by the parents. That's why, for this festival, we chose the childhoods of Bach, Enescu, Bartok and George Gershwin.

The books were somehow the fruit of the pandemic. Then, young and restless, we brought to light this book collection, where I'm not an author, but a co-author (there are 13 books, it would have been a bit too much), where we enrich the story, starting, of course, from the scenario of the theatre plays. The few pages of the scenario are now 50 book pages, keeping the playful role and the main characters, like a red thread that ties everything… and, of course, making a work of art out of every book, thanks to the illustrations signed by Carla Duschka, Annabella Orosz and Ana Maria Lemnaru.

For this I received the prize, and as I've said on the scene, the prize is not mine, it's ours. The collection is a collective product.

How would you describe the shows "Felix, the cat" and "How to understand music and dance?", that you propose the public, on Saturday and Sunday, 27th and 28th of January, at the Romanian Athenaeum?

We had "Felix, the cat" on the scene before. It's the famous cartoon from the period of the mute animation film, movie for which Simona Strungaru wrote her own music, inspired, of course, by image and story-line. Strungaru Symphonics are the instrumentists that will sustain live this soundtrack, while the hall of the Romanian Athenaeum will transform for an hour in a movie theatre.

About "Today with Mozart" by Gigi Caciuleanu, I can only tell you what the master himself said, that it is a reinterpretation of a music that is eternally fresh, eternally alive, that endure without losing its splendor because of the modifcations the present times require in the case of a dance show.