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Romania's Culture Day, Celebrated through Music at the Romanian Athenaeum
'I am glad that tonight, on the ocasion of the third edition of the Romania's Culture Day, which was triggered by an endeavor that the Romanian Academy and the Romanian Parliament have supported, we release an album interpreted by the Romanian Youth Orchestra, which will perform this evening at the Romanian Athenaeum, and I am conviced that it rises to the same level with which the Romanian Youth Orchestra has accustomed us.'
The concert brought in front of the large public present at the hall of the Athenaeum two prestigious ensembles from Bucharest. In the first part the Prelude choir performed, which, under the baton of the maestro Voicu Enăchescu, presented three choir works put into lyrics by Mhai Eminescu, put into lyrics. These works were Eve on the Hill, Prayer and Blue Flower. Following the performance full of sensibility of the choir ensemble, the Romanian Youth Orchestra appeared on the stage and opened the Series of the works presented on the occasion of the Romania's Culture Day with the Rhapsody No. 2 by George Enescu and continued with works by Bedrich Smetana, Giacomo Puccini, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Leo Delibes, Tiberiu Brediceanu and Sabin Păutza. The protagonists were the violinist Ioana Goicea and the soprano Valentina Naforniță, who, at the end of the concert stated :
'I had a wonderful time, the same way I do every time and I have a greay joy in my heart when I play on this stage with fantastic acoustics and, of course, together with this orchestra, with maestro Mandeal. It is a pleasure every time! I am very excited when I play in Romania, I don't know why!, but I always come back with eagerness and I enjoy being among Romanians, I love being on this stage.'
The Romanian Youth Orchestra succeeded again to offer performances of the works chosen for this event, although the release of the first disk recorded by the young ensemble at the Radio Hall publishing house was the most important event for the instrumentalists and for the two mentors, the conductor Cristian Mandeal and the cellist Marin Cazacu. The former has spoken for our station.
The conductor Cristian Mandeal: 'It is a very important moment for the very young history of this orchestra. The fact that we are releasing the first disk is already something important and naturally, this disk contains Romanian music exclusively. We have received strong assistance from Radio Romania and I cannot express my gratitude enough for the support we received.'
Many personalities who were invited to take part in the event shared their impressions about the concert for Radio Romania Music.
Răzvan Ioan Dincă, the director of the Romanian Opera in Bucharest: 'I am downright overwhelmed both by the symbol of this evening and by the way in which a formidable team of musicians, conducted by the maestro Cristian Mandeal, the Romanian Youth Orchestra proved what the value of Romanian culture really means, for they are the product of Romanian spirituality.
The actor Ion Caramitru: 'This youth orchestra is exquisite and the association with a conductor of the stature of Mandeal makes it shine even more...'
The composer Sabin Păutza: 'This is perhaps the best orchestra we have ever had, not only because they are very good professionals, but they are also young and this can be seen in the way they approach music. They have an enthusiasm that can not be found in mature orchestras anymore, unfortunately. They seem to be hugry to make music. Everything we heard tonight was first class.'
Translated by Manuela Cristina Chira and Elena Daniela Radu
MTTLC, the University of Bucharest