Concert inspired by Romanian folklore held in Washington this month

A gala concert titled Săftița: The Timeless Love Songbook will be hosted by the prestigious John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington DC later this month. The event is part of an extensive program dedicated to celebrating 25 years of Romanian-American Strategic Partnership.

The concert will be performed on October 11, courtesy of the Embassy of Romania to the United States and the Romanian Cultural Institute in New York, with the support of Banca Transilvania. It will be attended by more than 300 guests, including officials of the American Administration and Congress, representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Washington, members of the Romanian-American community, and personalities from the academic, cultural, and business environments.

The concert brings cimbalom maestro Marius Mihalache and his band (Arabela Nicolau - vocals, Lorin Mihalache - drums, Nicolae Băran - bass) to the stage in Washington, DC. Cristian Stănoiu signs the show’s live video projections.

“Starting from old rhythms in a modern orchestration, Săftița combines traditional Romanian music with current sounds that make the message and essence of Romanian folklore be translated into a universal language,” reads the press release from the Embassy of Romania to the US.

Songwriter and performer, specialized in film music and composition at the Berklee College of Music (Boston, USA), Marius Mihalache approaches and combines different musical styles, performing classical music, folklore, Romanian music, jazz and ethno-jazz on the cimbalom. He was only 17 years old when he performed at La Scala in Milan, and at 20 years old, he was personally chosen by Chick Corea to open his concert in Romania. He had successful collaborations with well-known artists such as Gloria Gaynor, Nina Simone, Nigel Kennedy, Steve Vai, Kitaro, Blood Sweat and Tears, Francis Ford Copolla, and Ovidiu Lipan Ţăndărică.

Further details about the concert in Washington, DC, are available here.

2022 marks 25 years of Romanian-American Strategic Partnership. Thus, throughout the year, the Romanian Embassy in Washington held a real marathon of public diplomacy events intended to mark this important moment in bilateral relations.

(Photo source: courtesy of theEmbassy of Romania to the US)