The Romanian Youth Orchestra started its concert in Rome approximately two hours ago, with Romanian Rhapsody by George Enescu. The presence of the 90 Romanian artists in Italy's capital, as well as at the Ravello Music Festival, is due to the Italian Danilo Bugheti, the organiser and initiator of this event:

'I believe that this kind of events helps us not only to understand Romanian culture, but also to realize that we are all human beings who manage to express their sensitivity in the same way; so, we are all on the same page, which means that a so-called inter-connection is possible and can lead to better communication.'

Among the audience, mainly Italian, there were also Romanians who have been living in Italy for many years.

'Wonderful, just wonderful. I enjoyed the experience not only for the concert itself, but also for what the concert of a Romanian orchestra in Italy means. In Italy, where we are perceived in a certain manner and where a lot of cultural events are missing. I would like to have plays, concerts, films brought here, all kinds of events, in order for them to see, as this is the only method, that Romania has a different face from the one depicted in the Italian media. Or, for that matter, in media anywhere.

And this, after how many years in Italy?

37 years. I have been here for 37 years, which means that I have the objectivity to speak well or ill of both Italy and Romania.

After Rome, the Romanian Youth Orchestra was present at the Ravello Music Festival with another concert, as confirmed by the Romanian conductor Cristian Mandeal:

Yes, Ravello is probably the best known summer festival in Italy. It takes place during a period of several months. In summer it is directed at the numerous tourists coming to Italy for the summer holidays. It is located in a place full of significance for music: the place where Richard Wagner composed Parsifal; as the saying goes, it is man who blesses a place. There is almost no great soloist or conductor who has not come to Ravello. So, for us, as a Romanian youth orchestra, the honour is double: playing for the first time at the Santa Cecilia Auditorium and coming then at Ravello, such a renowned venue.