The Instituto Rumano de Cultura and the Embassy of Romania celebrated yesterday the concert Musical Variations at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, with violinist Alexandru Tomescu, and guitarist Dragoș Ilie.
The concert was introduced by the musicologist and full member of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando José Luis García del Busto, who after an exhaustive description of the musical pieces to be performed, passed the word to Raluca Mihaila, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Romania. “Music, she pointed out, perhaps the most inspiring art that elevates the soul and highlights human depth, unites us here today at the Royal Academy, a building that breathes history and culture.”
“We celebrate two decades of activity of the Instituto Rumano de Cultura, as well as the 145 years of diplomatic relations between Spain and Romania. Our countries are united by much more than political or economic agreements. We are united by a vibrant community and the shared history within Europe,” emphasized Raluca Mihaila.
The Chargé d’Affaires of the Romanian Embassy expressed that two days before May 9, the celebration of the Day of Europe, “this is not just any date, but a day to remember that the European Union is a project of peace and a very successful project of peace, as demonstrated by Spain’s 40 years in the European Union. Today’s concert, titled Musical Variations, is a meeting for music, with music, and to listen to two very prominent Romanian artists who propose a fascinating sonic journey through the Romanian and Spanish musical universe, articulating the versatility of the violin and, on the other hand, the expressiveness of the guitar, a great protagonist of Spanish music, which surprises us every time with its rhythm and smoothness when mixed.”
Raluca Mihaila highlighted that violinist Alexandru Tomescu is the first Romanian artist to have entered the Sistine Chapel and played in front of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, and today he will play with the Elder-Voicu Stradivarius violins. “Willing to play the most difficult scores in concerts, he noted, Alexandru is humanly appreciated by audiences worldwide for his genuine vocation combined with impressive creative energy. He is an exceptional artist, soloist of the National Radio Orchestra for more than two decades and also decorated by the National Order for the World.”
For his part, guitarist Dragoș Ilie, one of the most expressive and charismatic musicians of his generation, has been awarded more than 40 international prizes. He is deeply committed to promoting the Romanian repertoire.
The concert program included the Ballad by Ciprian Porumbescu, a masterpiece of Romanian lyricism, which reveals the most poetic dimension of the Romanian soul. Next, the Romanian Folk Dances by Béla Bartók, which stand out for their rhythmic energy and the authenticity of their folk expression, creating a natural bridge between tradition and modernity. Followed by the Spanish Popular Suite by Manuel de Falla, which displays all the expressive richness of the Spanish imaginary, evoking the accents of cante jondo and the intensity of flamenco. As a culmination, the famous Romanian Rhapsody No. 1 by George Enescu, an explosion of color and vitality that captures the essence of Romanian folklore, intertwining it with delicate moments of evocative lyricism.
Today Friday, this concert moves to the University of Salamanca -the oldest higher education institution in Spain-, to celebrate the 80 years of Romanian studies there, thus reaffirming the depth of cultural and academic ties between both countries.
