Concert for the opening of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union 24 anuary 2019 1 Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2 24 anuary 2019 www.romania2019.eu 3 Concert for the opening of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union Romanian Youth Orchestra Conductor Cristian Mandeal Soloist Anita Hartig - soprano 4 Program Theodor Rogalski Three Romanian Dances 12’ George Grigoriu Muzica 4’ soloist – Anita Hartig Camille Saint-Saëns Bacchanale 7’ Franz Lehar “Meine Lippen, sie kussen so heiss” 6’ soloist – Anita Hartig Alexander Borodin Polovtsian Dances 12’ Léo Delibes Les Filles de Cadix 4’ soloist – Anita Hartig Bela Bartok Romanian Dances 7’ Eugen Doga Waltz of Love 4’ Grigoraș Dinicu Hora Staccato 4’ George Enescu Romanian Rhapsody op. 11 no.1 in A Major 12’ 5 Romanian Youth Orchestra Conductor Soloist Cristian Mandeal Anita Hartig First Violin Second Violin Viola Radu Dunca - concertmaster Paul Moldovan - principal Adrian Vasile - principal Iulia Cazacu Arpad Fejer Adela Bărăştean Andreea Bernevic Iulia Bândilă Andrieş Cigulea Raluca Constantin Diana Ciudin Alexandru Cochisă Ilinca Forna Bogdan Făgăraş Lazăr Mircea Iolanta Cochisă Larisa Iordache Constantin Muşat Angela Jumugă-Cuibariu Marius Niţu Bianca Pomparău Avadhut Kasinadhuni Cristian Raţiu Ana Maria Tănase Nicoleta Petre Mihai Todoran Iulia Smeu Mariana Radu Valentin Şerban Ana Maria Ţipeanu Daria Schibiţcaia Cello Ştefan Roşu Şarpe Cristina Ştefan Cazacu - principal Ana Oboroc Gabriela Timofte Gabriela Bokor 6 Florin Burlacu Oboe Gilbert Negoiţă Iulia Bitta Izabela Ghergu Ana Maria Radu - principal Tudor Olăraşu Patrick Cojerean Mihail Grigore Oana Cocîrţă Nechita Domide Adrian Precup Lavinia Opriş Trumpet Gergely Reman Alexandru Totan Luka Kalezic - principal Cornelius Zirbo Clarinet Paul Grosar Piano & Celesta Double Bass Radu Greluş - principal Dumitru Trocin Mihai Murariu - principal Andrei Nițică - principal Andrei Văleanu Denis Zisko Harp Tiberiu Petrean Bogdan Vasile Evelina Andrieş - principal Adrian Beleca Trombone Ionuț Cristea Bassoon Emanuel Dombi - principal Staff Iacob Panighianţ Vlad Dănilă - principal Istvan Laposzi Cristian Neculae Alexandru Ţârc Alexandru Duda Timotei Torje Virgil Oprina - PR Alexandra Stanciu Gabriel Nițu - stagehand Tuba Flute Gresan Florinel-Daniel - Gabriel Rotaru - principal Petra Pană - principal Horn stagehand Carla Stoleru Nikola Ciric - principal Percussion Marin Arăşanu - driver Mihai Vaida Tivadar Barta Ilinca Lorentz - principal Sebastian Lăzărescu - Cosmin Cobasa Ioana Văleanu - principal driver 7 ANITA HARTIG soprano Romanian soprano Anita Hartig studied at Gheorghe Dima Music Academy in Cluj-Napoca. During her studies, she won several national and international vocal competitions. In 2006, while still a student, she also made her operatic début as Mimì, in La Bohème, at the Romanian National Opera in Cluj-Napoca. Anita was a member of Wiener Staatsopera ensemble, from 2009 to 2014. During this period, she performed Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), 8 Despina (Così fan tutte), Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Mimì and Musetta (La Bohème), Marzelline (Fidelio), Micaëla (Carmen) and Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro). These early successes led to her much-acclaimed debut at Teatro alla Scala in Milan, as Mimì, in La Boheme, in 2012. Career highlights include her house debuts as Mimì (La Bohème), at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, the Metropolitan Opera and Opéra de Paris; Antonia (Les Contes d’Hoffmann) at the Metropolitan Opera; Violetta (La Traviata) at the Gran Teatre del Liceu; Mimì (La Bohème) at the Wiener Staatsoper and Teatro Real Madrid; Liù (Turandot) at the Metropolitan Opera and Wiener Staatsoper Opera and Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro) at the Royal Opera House and Metropolitan Opera. This season, Anita returns to the Wiener Staatsopera for Micaëla (Carmen), before reprising the role once again for her eagerly-awaited house debut at the San Francisco Opera. She will also perform as Violetta in both Michael Mayer’s new production of La Traviata at the Metropolitan Opera and at the Toulouse Opera. Other highlights include Amelia Grimaldi (Simon Boccanegra), for her return to the Opéra de Paris and performances of Bruckner’s Mass in F Minor, with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra at the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam. 9 CRISTIAN MANDEAL conductor Cristian Mandeal studied piano, composition and conducting at the Music Academy in Bucharest. He later refined his conducting skills under the guidance of Herbert von Karajan, in Berlin, and Sergiu Celibidache, in Munich. He became permanent conductor at the Targu Mures Philharmonic (1977-1980) and the Cluj Philharmonic (1980-1987). Between 1987 and 2009, Cristian Mandeal acted as Principal Conductor and General Music Director of the Bucharest Philharmonic and oversaw its rise as an orchestra on the 10 international scene. Cristian Mandeal has conducted on 4 continents, 31 countries and 24 capitals. As conductor of the “George Enescu” Philharmonic, he carried out over 20 international tours. He was a frequent guest to the Staatskapelle Dresden and Berlin, to the Munchener Philharmoniker and Hessisches Rundfunk Orchester – Frankfurt, to the Santa Cecilia – Rome, to the Catalunya National Orchestra – Barcelona, as well as to the Hallé Orchestra – Manchester, where he continues to be a permanent resident. He conducted important orchestras, such as RSO and RIAS – Berlin, Radio Bavaria – Munich and Dresden Philharmonic, CBSO and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra – Liverpool, Czech Philharmonic – Prague, Portuguese Symphony Orchestra – Lisbon, Orchestre Nationale de Belgique – Brussels, Israel Philharmonic – Tel Aviv, Symphony Orchestra in Göteborg, Orchestras of the Philharmonics in Tokyo, Helsinki, Monte Carlo, Sofia, Belgrade, Zagreb etc. Cristian Mandeal has cooperated with many renowned soloists such as: Radu Lupu, Ivo Pogorelici, Krystian Zimerman, Bruno Leonardo Gelber, Gerhard Oppitz, Yefin Bronfman, Alicia de Larrocha, Maxim Vengherov, Shlomo Minz, Julian Rachlin, Victor Tretiakov, Mstislav Rostropovici, Ileana Cotrubas. 11 Cristian Mandeal has participated in many international festivals, including the “George Enescu” Festival in Bucharest, of which he was Artistic Director in 2001 and 2003. He continues to appear at this festival every year, with international guest orchestras. At the Edinburgh Festival in 2002 he conducted the BBC Scottish Orchestra in the British premiere of the opera “Oedipe” by George Enescu and in January 2005 he conducted a highly acclaimed new production of the opera in Italy. In August 2012, he conducted the Romanian National Youth Orchestra at the Young Euro Classic Festival in Berlin. Cristian Mandeal has recorded for Electrecord, MBG Classics (Arte Nova) and Claves. In his discography, an outstanding achievement are the integral cycles of the Bruckner symphonies, of the Brahms symphonic and vocal/symphonic works, in 9 CDs, commemorating the centenary of the composer’s death, and, especially, the complete symphonic works of George Enescu, in 7 CDs. Cristian Mandeal conducted the world premieres of over 50 symphonic and opera works. He conducts the entire concert repertoire, from Vivaldi to contemporary music, with a propensity for the music of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. 12 ROMANIAN YOUTH ORCHESTRA The youngest symphonic orchestra in Romania was founded in the summer of 2008, at the initiative of Marin Cazacu, Artistic Director and cellist, with the support of the Romanian Ministry of Culture. The Romanian Youth Orchestra reunites the most gifted young musicians of Romania (ages 18 to 2v8). Over the years, it has enjoyed a tremendous success, not only on a national, but also on an international level, receiving standing ovations for its performances. Ever since 2011, the Orchestra has been a constant presence on the stage of the biennial George Enescu International Festival, in Bucharest, and was highly appreciated for its guest appearances in the most prestigious musical venues of Berlin (2012, 2014, 2018); Rome (2013, 2013); Vienna (2015, 2018); Istanbul (2015, 2017); Aix-en-Provence (2015); Brussels (2016); Paris (2016); Lyon (2017); Geneva (2017); Salzburg (2017); Linz (2017). Ever since the beginning, the technical and artistic training has been ensured by maestro Cristian Mandeal. His artistic vision and dedication have transformed every concert into a memorable 13 event and the orchestra into one of the most successful musical projects in Romania. The Orchestra has also collaborated with a series of prominent guest conductors, such as: Lawrence Foster, Kristian Jarvi, Cristian Macelaru, Domingo Hindoyan, Horia Andreescu, Christian Badea and Alexandre Myrat. Equally, acclaimed soloists artists such as David Garett, Pinchas Zukermann, Sarah Chang, Amanda Forsyt, Elisabeth Leonskaja, Plamena Mangova, Sergio Tiempo, Barry Douglas, Mihaela Martin, Liviu Prunaru, Aleksey Semenenko, Anita Hartig, Valentina Nafornita, Olga Pasichnik, Bogdan Bacanu, Wave Quartet, have been guests of the Orchestra. In November 2011, the Romanian Youth Orchestra became member of the European Federation of National Youth Orchestras (EFNYO). The musical vitality exuded by each of its performances prompted a musical critic to say that the Romanian Youth Orchestra is “the kind of collective artistic organism that epitomizes the quintessence of optimism, of believing in a future. A better one, of course”. 14 15 www.romania2019.eu #RO2019EU 16.