London Royal Opera House director receives Romanian distinction for promoting Enescu’s music

Kasper Holten, the director of the Royal Opera House in London, will receive the Faithful Service Order, the Commander degree, for merits in supporting the music of Romanian George Enescu, the Romanian Cultural Institute in London announced. The staging of Enescu’s only opera Oedip in London in 2016 was seen as especially significant in the international promotion of the Romanian musician. The distinction, granted by Romanian president Klaus Iohannis, will be handed in by Romania's Ambassador to London, Dan Mihalache, at a March 1 ceremony. Danish director Kasper Holten was appointed the director of the Royal Opera House in 2011. He directed more than 65 productions, including the award-winning Ring cycle for the Royal Danish Opera. He made his directorial debut at the Royal Opera House with Eugene Onegin in 2013 and has since directed Don Giovanni, L’Ormindo, and Król Roger for the company. In the 2016/17 season, he directs a new production of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. He is Vice-President of Opera Europa, an association of European opera houses and festivals. He has received a knighthood (2003) and a medal Ingenio et Arti (2011) from Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. This year's edition of the George Enescu International Music Festival will open with Enescu’s opera Oedip performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted by Vladimir Jurowski. Enescu Festival in Romania sells 34,000 tickets in one day. What concerts are still available? editor@romania-insider.com