Enescu Festival 2023: Midnight concert series returns on weekends

The midnight concert series of the George Enescu Festival, covering music ranging from Renaissance and Baroque to Georgian folklore and improvisation, includes this year eleven performances held at the Romanian Athenaeum.

The concerts are scheduled to take place from Friday to Sunday, starting at 22:30, between September 1st and September 23rd.

Among the artists performing in the series are soprano Olga Peretyatko and tenor Marius Vlad Budoiu, accompanied by pianists Matthias Samuil and Horea Haplea; Italian ensemble Ensemble Zefiro; pianist and composer Fazil Say; Madrigal - Marin Constantin Chamber Choir; mandolinist Avi Avital alongside Between Worlds Ensemble and Rustavi Choir; chamber music ensemble Plattform K+K Vienna and soprano Valentina Nafornita; Jewish Chamber Orchestra of München conducted by Daniel Grossmann, performing alongside soprano Chen Reiss and violinist Tassilo Probst; mezzosoprano Kate Lindsey and pianist Baptiste Trotignon; organist and composer Cameron Carpenter; harpist Xavier de Maistre; and tenor José Cura.

“This is not a traditional recital; it is a type of concert that pushes the boundaries of classical music. I wish to put forth this challenge for the audience: to get ready for a gala concert from where they will depart, in the beauty of Bucharest nights, in a special atmosphere,” Cristian Măcelaru, the festival’s artistic director, explained.

The 26th edition of the festival takes place between August 27th and September 24th under the theme Generosity through Music.

(Photo: Catalina Filip, courtesy of Enescu Festival)