George Enescu International Festival Opens Single Ticket Sales And Reveals Full Concert Schedule

Single tickets are now on sale for the 27th edition of the George Enescu International Festival - the world's largest convening of major orchestras - to be held in Bucharest, Romania from August 24 to September 21, 2025.

Under Artistic Director Cristian Măcelaru, returning for the second Enescu Festival of his tenure, the concert schedule highlights multiple international premieres and landmark reinterpretations of key works spanning classical music's finest repertoire. The program also features exhibitions, lectures, and a symposium dedicated to George Enescu. Some 4,000 artists from Romania and abroad are expected to attend, along with musicologists, composers, students, and classical music enthusiasts. Besides its main program based in Bucharest, the festival also incorporates concerts and celebrations in cities and towns across Romania. Highlights of the schedule can be found in the calendar section below, with complete schedule information on the Enescu Festival website.

The 27th edition of the George Enescu International Festival - the world's largest convening of major orchestras - will be held in Bucharest, Romania from August 24 to September 21, 2025. Named in honor of the great Romanian composer George Enescu, this milestone edition of the festival marks 70 years since the composer's passing, which will be observed across the four-week event with reflections on Enescu's artistic legacy and profound influence on international classical music.

​Măcelaru, the renowned Romanian-born conductor who trained in the United States, has infused this year's festival with cross-generational programming celebrating both tradition and innovation in classical music, along with offerings for children and families. Over more than 95 concerts to be staged across Bucharest, the festival features upwards of 45 interpretations of George Enescu's works. Highlights will include his opera Oedipe in a production by the Bucharest National Opera directed by Stefano Poda - with Ionuț Pascu in the role of Oedipe, Ruxandra Donose in the role of Jocasta, Ramona Zaharia (The Sphinx), Vazgen Gazaryan, Paul Curievici, Kaaren Phelps and many others - as well as Enescu's symphonies, Romanian Rhapsodies or the orchestral suites presented by the major international orchestras and conductors, Symphonie Concertante for cello and orchestra performed by Enescu Competition Winner, cellist Yo Kitamura, Ballade for violin and orchestra performed by Augustin Hadelich and many other chamber, choral and solo pieces. Măcelaru himself conducts the Festival's opening concert, featuring the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir with soloist Nemanja Radulovic, winner of the Violin section in the 2001 George Enescu International Competition.

More than 80 ensembles from 28 countries, including symphony orchestras, choirs, and chamber ensembles, will perform both in Bucharest and other cities across Romania, among them the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Orchestre National de France, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra of London, WDR Symphony Orchestra of Cologne, Tonhalle Orchestra of Zurich, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Czech Philharmonic, Orchestra of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Lausanne Chamber Orchestra, George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir, the National Orchestra, the Radio Chamber Orchestra and Academic Choir, the Orchestra and Choir of the National Opera of Bucharest, the Romanian Youth Orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Budapest Festival Orchestra and the Eva Duda Dance Company of Hungary, Belcea and Lenkoro String Quartets, Il Giardino Armonico, Accademia Bizantina and The Academy of St Martin in the Fields. The National Chamber Orchestra of Chișinău will also return to Bucharest, performing at the Romanian Athenaeum under the direction of Cristian Florea, as well as other seven Romanian Philharmonic Orchestras. Among the schedule's notable performances, the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra will give two concerts conducted by Keri-Lynn Wilson at Bucharest's Grand Palace Hall.

Among the distinguished guest artists for this 27th edition of the festival are conductors Keri-Lynn Wilson, Ustina Dubitsky, Marta Gardolińska, Daniele Gatti, Sir Andras Schiff, Ivan Fischer, Klaus Mäkelä, Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Daniel Harding, Paavo Järvi, Lahav Shani, Cristian Mandeal, Petr Popelka, Tarmo Peltokoski, Gabriel Bebeșelea, Giovanni Antonini, Vasily Petrenko, Manfred Honeck, Gianandrea Noseda and Cristian Măcelaru; plus pianists Rudolf Buchbinder, Martha Argerich, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Kirill Gerstein, Alexandra Dariescu, Daniel Ciobanu, Lucas and Arthur Jussen, Alexandra Silocea, Leif Ove Andsnes, Alexandre Kantorow and Nelson Goerner; violinists Anne-Sophie Mutter, David Grimal, Nemanja Radulović, Valentin Șerban, Alexandru Tomescu, Julian Rachlin, Alexandra Conunova, Augustin Hadelich, Mihaela Martin, Ioana Cristina Goicea and Christian Tetzlaff; cellists Kian Soltani, Marcel Johannes Kits, Sol Gabetta and Gautier Capuçon; sopranos Asmik Grigorian, Sonya Yoncheva, Kristine Opolais, Jennifer Holloway, Ailyn Pérez, Magdalena Kožená and Rachel Willis-Sørensen; mezzo-sopranos Judit Kutasi, Ruxandra Donose and Ramona Zaharia; tenors Benjamin Bernheim, Gerhard Siegel and Maximillian Schmit; and baritones Bogdan Baciu, Ionuț Pascu; basses Soloman Howard, Vazgen Gazaryan, Alastair Miles, Riccardo Novaro and Andreas Bauer Kanabas.

Besides being a world-class celebration of classical music and Romania's greatest composer, the George Enescu International Festival is known as a leading forum for young musicians and a showcase of top Romanian talent. The program will shine a light on rising stars of the Romanian classical music scene, as well as laureates of the George Enescu International Competition - the other half of this quintessential Romanian cultural initiative - fostering opportunities for international collaboration. For this edition of the festival, the Romanian Youth Orchestra will perform a concert alongside the renowned Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra conducted by Manfred Honeck, as well as in an independent concert led by conductor Christian Reif. Winners of the 2024 Enescu Competition will perform with such ensembles as the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra with Renaud Capuçon, the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra, the Rotterdam Philharmonic conducted by Lahav Shani and Romanian Orchestras conducted by Alex Amsel, Omar El Jamali and Eu-Lee Nam - top performers in the conducting masterclass held as part of the 2024 Enescu Competition.

The George Enescu International Festival is held in alternating years with the George Enescu International Competition, together representing a key initiative of the Romanian Ministry of Culture and its ARTEXIM subsidiary, organizer of both events. As in previous years, this edition of the Festival has received the High Patronage of the President of Romania.

2025 George Enescu International Festival Concert Highlights

Sunday, August 24, 2025 at 8:00pm

Opening Concert: George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra and George Enescu Philharmonic Choir
Cristian Măcelaru, conductor | Nemanja Radulović, violin
Grand Palace Hall | Bucharest, Romania
Link: festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/opening-concert-of-the-george-enescu-international-festival-1747106927

Wednesday, August 27, 2025 at 8:00pm

Philharmonia Orchestra of London | Santtu-Matias Rouvali, conductor | Andrei Ioniță, cello
Grand Palace Hall | Bucharest, Romania
Link: festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/philharmonia-orchestra-1775329128

Thursday, August 28, 2025 at 8:00pm

Philharmonia Orchestra of London | Santtu-Matias Rouvali, conductor | Alexandra Dariescu, piano
Grand Palace Hall | Bucharest, Romania
Link: festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/philharmonia-orchestra-1775391672

Saturday, August 30, 2025 at 1:00pm

Orquestra De La Comunitat Valenciana | James Gaffigan, conductor | Benjamin Bernheim, tenor
Radio Hall | Bucharest, Romania
Link: https://www.festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/orquestra-de-la-comunitat-valenciana-1775455677

Saturday, August 30, 2025 at 7:30pm

Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia | Daniel Harding, conductor | Magdalena Kožená, soprano
Grand Palace Hall | Bucharest, Romania
Link: festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/orchestra-dellaccademia-nazionale-di-santa-cecilia-1775473121

Sunday, August 31, 2025 at 11:00am

Valentin Răduțiu, cello | Per Rundberg, piano
Auditorium Hall, National Museum of Art of Romania
Link: https://www.festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/valentin-radutiu-and-per-rundberg-1775485119

Sunday, August 31, 2025 at 1:00pm

Sinfonia Varsovia | Romanian Radio Academic Choir
Radio Hall | Bucharest, Romania
Link: https://www.festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/sinfonia-varsovia-1775493457

Sunday, August 31, 2025 at 4:30pm

Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne | Renaud Capuçon, leader, violin
Romanian Athenaeum | Bucharest, Romania
Link: festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/orchestre-de-chambre-de-lausanne-1775498653

Sunday, August 31, 2025 at 7:30pm

Orchestra dell'accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia | Daniel Harding, conductor | Martha Argerich, piano
Grand Palace Hall | Bucharest, Romania
Link: festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/orchestra-dellaccademia-nazionale-di-santa-cecilia-1775473121

Monday, September 1, 2025 at 8:00pm

Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne | Renaud Capuçon, leader, violin
Romanian Athenaeum | Bucharest, Romania
Link: festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/orchestre-de-chambre-de-lausanne-1775553371

Monday, September 1, 2025 at 8:00pm

WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln | Cristian Măcelaru, conductor
Grand Palace Hall | Bucharest, Romania
Link: festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/wdr-sinfonieorchester-koeln-1775574444

Tuesday, September 2, 2025 at 8:00pm

Tonhalle-orchester Zürich | Paavo Järvi Conductor | Alisa Weilerstein, cello
Grand Palace Hall | Bucharest, Romania
Link: festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/tonhalle-orchester-zuerich-1775617131

Wednesday, September 3, 2025 at 8:00pm

Tonhalle-orchester Zürich | Paavo Järvi, conductor
Grand Palace Hall | Bucharest, Romania
Link: festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/tonhalle-orchester-zuerich-1775638386

Thursday, September 4, 2025 at 8:00pm

Czech Philharmonic | Petr Popelka, conductor
Grand Palace Hall | Bucharest, Romania
Link: festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/czech-philharmonic-1775662044

Thursday, September 4, 2025 at 5:00pm

Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra | Lahav Shani, conductor | Valentin Șerban, violin
Romanian Athenaeum | Bucharest, Romania
Link: festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/rotterdam-philharmonic-orchestra-1775647231

Friday, September 5, 2025 at 4:30pm

Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra | Lahav Shani, leader, piano
Romanian Athenaeum | Bucharest, Romania
Link: festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/rotterdam-philharmonic-orchestra-1775673153

Friday, September 5, 2025 at 4:30pm

Czech Philharmonic | Petr Popelka, conductor | Kian Soltani, cello
Grand Palace Hall | Bucharest, Romania
Link: festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/czech-philharmonic-1775688989

Wednesday, September 10, 2025 at 8:00pm

Staatskapelle Dresden | Daniele Gatti Conductor
Grand Palace Hall | Bucharest, Romania
Link: festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/staatskapelle-dresden-1776305868

Thursday, September 11, 2025 at 8:00pm

Staatskapelle Dresden | Daniele Gatti, conductor | Kirill Gerstein, piano
Grand Palace Hall | Bucharest, Romania
Link: festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/staatskapelle-dresden-1776338068

Friday, September 12, 2025 at 4:30pm

Academy Of St Martin In The Fields | Jan Lisiecki, leader, piano
Romanian Athenaeum | Bucharest, Romania
Link: festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/academy-of-st-martin-in-the-fields-1776363728

Friday, September 12, 2025 at 7:30pm

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra | Vasily Petrenko, conductor | Alexandre Kantorow, piano
Grand Palace Hall | Bucharest, Romania
Link: festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/royal-philharmonic-orchestra-1776385282

Saturday, September 13, 2025 at 1:00pm

Danish National Symphony Orchestra | Nicholas Collon, conductor | Lucas & Arthur Jussen, pianos
Radio Hall | Bucharest, Romania
Link: https://www.festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/danish-national-symphony-orchestra-1777396159

Saturday, September 13, 2025 at 7:30pm

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra | Vasily Petrenko, conductor | Bruce Liu, piano
Grand Palace Hall | Bucharest, Romania
Link: festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/royal-philharmonic-orchestra-1777412390

Sunday, September 14, 2025

Danish National Symphony Orchestra | Nicholas Collon, conductor | Alexandru Tomescu, violin
Radio Hall | Bucharest, Romania
Link: https://www.festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/danish-national-symphony-orchestra-1777454954

Tuesday, September 16, 2025 at 5:00pm

Mahler Chamber Orchestra | Gianandrea Noseda, conductor | Augustin Hadelich, violin
Romanian Athenaeum | Bucharest, Romania
Link: festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/mahler-chamber-orchestra-1777501352

Wednesday, September 17, 2025 at 5:00pm

Chamber Orchestra Of Europe | Sir András Schiff, leader, piano
Romanian Athenaeum | Bucharest, Romania
Link: festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/chamber-orchestra-of-europe-1777526736

Wednesday, September 17, 2025 at 8:00pm

Budapest Festival Orchestra | Eva Duda Dance Company, Hungary | Iván Fischer, conductor
Grand Palace Hall | Bucharest, Romania
Link: festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/budapest-festival-orchestra-1777552614

Thursday, September 18, 2025 at 8:00pm

Orchestre National de France | Cristian Măcelaru, conductor | Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin | George Enescu Philharmonic Choir
Grand Palace Hall | Bucharest, Romania
Link: festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/orchestre-national-de-france-1777579739

Friday, September 19, 2025 at 7:30pm

Orchestre National de France | Cristian Măcelaru, conductor | Rudolf Buchbinder, piano
Grand Palace Hall | Bucharest, Romania
Link: festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/orchestre-national-de-france-1777565625

Friday, September 19, 2025 at 4:30pm

Scottish Chamber Orchestra | Maxim Emelyanychev, conductor | Colin Currie, percussion
Romanian Athenaeum | Bucharest, Romania
Link: festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/scottish-chamber-orchestra-1777571501

Saturday, September 20, 2025 at 7:30pm

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra | Klaus Mäkelä, conductor
Grand Palace Hall | Bucharest, Romania
Link: festivalenescu.ro/en/george-enescu-international-festival/concert-schedule/royal-concertgebouw-orchestra-1777621943

Sunday, September 21, 2025 at 7:30pm

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