Renowned musicians Kent Nagano, Gidon Kremer, Leonidas Kavakos, and Kirill Gerstein will collaborate with the George Enescu Philharmonic in Bucharest for performances during the upcoming season.
The George Enescu Philharmonic orchestra in Bucharest is set to deliver an outstanding 2025-2026 season, boasting an impressive lineup of conductors, soloists, and musicians. This season will be marked by a series of captivating performances, including the first-ever performance of Sofia Gubaidulina's Concerto no. 1 for violin and orchestra, Offertorium (December 11/12, with violinist Gidon Kremer).
The season will kick off with concerts conducted by Kent Nagano and featuring Frank Peter Zimmermann on October 2 and 3. The symphonic season will also close with Anton Bruckner's Te Deum (conductor Daniele Rustioni).
Notable performers set to take the stage include Pianists Nikolai Lugansky, Kirill Gerstein, Mihai Ritivoiu, Andrei Gologan, and cellist Gautier Capuçon. Violinists Gidon Kremer and Leonidas Kavakos, and vocal soloists Matthias Goerne, Sunnyboy Dladla, Sarah Traubel, Ramona Zaharia, Justina Gringytė, Chen Reiss, Carolyn Sampson, Benjamin Hulett, Matthew Brook, Cristina Păsăroiu, and Alexander Ruslavets will also grace the stage.
The George Enescu Philharmonic's 2025-2026 season will feature more than 70 conductors and soloists, with 75% of them debuting in the philharmonic's artistic programming. The programme includes a variety of works, such as George Enescu's Concert Overture on Themes in Romanian Folk Character, op. 32; Triumphal Overture; Symphony Concertante in B minor for cello and orchestra, op. 8; Rhapsody no. 2, in D major, op. 11; The Voice of Nature; Symphony No. 3, in C major, op. 21, and Rhapsody No. 1, in A major, op. 11.
Contemporary music will have a significant presence in the upcoming season, with works like Mihaela Vosganian's Broken; Bernard Herrmann's Adagietto from the film The Snows of Kilimanjaro; Gara Garayev's Symphonic Engravings Don Quichotte; George Gershwin's Strike up the Band Overture; and Cindy McTee's Circuits.
Highlights of the symphonic season include Gustav Mahler's Symphony no. 3 (November 13/14, conductor Roberto Trevino, mezzo-soprano Justina Gringyte), Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring, and Ludwig van Beethoven's Mass in C major (October 30/31, conductor Lawrence Foster). Johannes Brahms's A German Requiem is scheduled for March 5/6, 2026 (conductor Michele Mariotti).
The chamber music season will open with a recital by Mihai Ritivoiu on October 1. The George Enescu Philharmonic will also present Cuib by Diana Rotaru, a special commission (first-ever performance at the Romanian Athenaeum).
It is worth noting that the most authoritative and detailed information regarding the 2025-2026 season musicians tied to the George Enescu Philharmonic can be found through the 2025 George Enescu International Festival, featuring Cristian Măcelaru as conductor and top international soloists and orchestras as stated above. For more precise Philharmonic season lineups, one may need to consult the official Philharmonic or festival websites or upcoming concert announcements.
The top orchestras participating in the festival include the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Czech Philharmonic, Staatskapelle Dresden, Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Notable soloists scheduled to perform at this festival include Anne-Sophie Mutter, Isabelle Faust, Augustin Hadelich, Renaud Capuçon, Martha Argerich, Kirill Gerstein, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Lucas & Arthur Jussen, Gautier Capuçon, Sol Gabetta, Kian Soltani, and Alisa Weilerstein.
While these artists are named in connection with the Enescu Festival, which is the main event for classical music in Bucharest and heavily involves the George Enescu Philharmonic, detailed full season listings specifically for the Philharmonic orchestra beyond the festival were not found in the search results. Additionally, the Ionel Perlea International Conducting Competition in 2025 offers appointments for winners to conduct various orchestras in the 2025-2026 season, including Romanian orchestras such as the State Philharmonia Sibiu and Filarmonica Pitești, but no direct mention of the George Enescu Philharmonic lineup was found.
In conclusion, the 2025-2026 season promises to be a memorable one for classical music enthusiasts in Bucharest, with the George Enescu Philharmonic presenting a diverse and exciting programme. For the most comprehensive information, we encourage you to visit the official festival and Philharmonic websites or keep an eye out for upcoming concert announcements.
The George Enescu Philharmonic's 2025-2026 season will include a range of music performances, such as the symphonic season opening with music conducted by Kent Nagano and featuring violinists Gidon Kremer and Leondias Kavakos. The contemporary music genre will also be represented, with works like Cindy McTee's Circuits set to be performed.
