After over eighty years since George Enescu composed Oedipe, the 2017 edition of the Festival which bears his name will be opened in an extraordinary premiere with the performance of this work in concert version by a prestigious foreign orchestra: the London Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of conductor Vladimir Jurowski. The information was received shortly after the London premiere of the Symphony No. 3 by George Enescu which took place in February, on the stage of the Royal Festival Hall, in the interpretation of the aforesaid.

The 2017 edition of the ʻGeorge Enescu' International Festival will be opened in premiere with the performance of the opera Oedipe by George Enescu, in the version of one of the most well-kown British orchestras in the world: the London Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Vladimir Jurowski, ʻa conductor invited all over the world and renown for his incisive style and the adventurous way in which he approaches music'. This event will take place shortly after the London premiere of the Symphony No. 3 by George Enescu, on 7^th February, performed by the aforesaid orchestra. The Symphony was initially presented by the London Philharmonic Orchestra on the stage of the Palace Hall at the 2013 edition of the ʻGeorge Enescu' International Festival,.

ʻIt is a joy both for us and the public that we are already announcing the opening of the 2017 edition of the ʻGeorge Enescu' International Festival with one of George Enescu's milestone compositions in a contemporary version, under the baton of one of the most widely renowned conductors. The ʻGeorge Enescu' International Festival organizors started negociating with the maestro Vladimir Jurowski ever since 2010. They were materialized with the performance of the Symphony No. 3 at the Festival, with the inclusion of Enescu's work in the repertoire of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and with the London premiere. Promoting George Enescu's music and also spreading it abroad is part of the Festival's identity. Moreover, maestro Jurowski also wants to propose Oedipe for the famous BBC Proms Festival, after the performance at the ʻGeorge Enescu' Festival. Carrying forward George Enescu's music both nationally andInternationally , is an extraordinary accomplishment for Romania and an honour for the Festival.' declared Mihai Constantinescu, Executive Director of the ʻGeorge Enescu' International Festival.

Within the 2015 edition of the ʻGeorge Enescu' International Festival (30^th August - 20^th September), over twenty works by George Enescu will be interpreted. Among these, the famous violinist David Garrett, who has broken the record for speed playing on the violin - thirteen notes per second - will perform the Ballad for Violin and Orchestra by George Enescu on the stage of the Romanian Athenaeum. The San Francisco Symphony American orchestra, holder of a Pulitzer Prize for Music, will interpret a work of the Romanian composer. In premiere, on the stage of the Festival there will be reputable names worldwide , such as the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestraand the violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter.

On 7^th February, 2015, in London, in Southbank Centre, one of the top cultural centres, right on the bank of the river Thames, 235 musicians of the Orchestra and of the London Philharmonic Choir performed the Symphony No. 3 by George Enescu in front of an audience of over two thousand people. Four rounds of applause could be heard in the Royal Festival Hall at the end of the concert. The conductor Vladimir Jurowski lifted the of George Enescu's score for the public. ʻGeorge Enescu's music is the music of a genius', declared the conductor Vladimir Jurowski in an interview given for Radio Romania Music right before the London premiere.

Details about the Festival (for the press):

Ana-Maria Onisei (anamaria.onisei@omavision.ro; 0752220420).