Upcoming Romanian festival Cerbul de Aur has EUR 1.4 mln budget

The public broadcaster TVR and the Culture Ministry have allotted a EUR 1.4 million budget to the Cerbul de Aur (Golden Stag) music festival, News.ro reported.

The Romanian public television allotted some RON 5.9 million (EUR 1.3 million), while the Culture Ministry allotted EUR 110,000. Last year, the ministry put up EUR 1 million for the festival.

This year’s edition of the festival takes place between August 22 and August 25, in Braşov, in central Romania.

Twelve singers from 10 countries will compete for awards with a total value of EUR 55,000.

Among the artists performing at this year’s edition of the festival are Laura Bretan, Ester Peony, who represented Romania at the Eurovision competition this year, Olivier Kaye, winner of the first prize at last year’s edition of the festival, Ronan Keating, Emeli Sandé, Irina Rimes, Corina Chiriac, and pan flute musician Gheorghe Zamfir. A fragment of the musical “We will rock” you will be presented on August 24, during the festival’s gala.

Doina Gradea, the president and director of TVR, called this year’s edition of the festival “spectacular.” She explained that the festival is “an extraordinary action with which we promote Romanian music, first of all.” She also announced that during the coming months, all the steps will be taken to organize another edition of the festival next year. “Our story continues next year, let’s hope so,” she said.

Cerbul de Aur had its first edition in 1968, and had 18 editions. After a nine-year break, it held a new edition last year. In time, artists such as Diana Ross, Amália Rodrigues, Julio Iglesias, Dalida, Tom Jones, Juliette Greco, Vaya con Dios, Coolio, Christina Aguilera, Cliff Richard, Kenny Rogers, Ricky Martin, Kelly Family, Patricia Kaas, Gilbert Becaud, Josephine Baker, Toto Cutugno, Enrico Macias, Boy George, James Brown, Kenny Rogers, Ray Charles, UB 40, Scorpions, Pink and Sheryl Crow performed at the festival.

Last year, Iniz Neziri of Albania won the grand trophy of the festival, worth EUR 25,000.

The event will be broadcast live on TVR 1, TVR HD, TVR Moldova, TVR International and TVR+ platform.