Last night, 3000 of us gathered at the George Enescu International Festival to celebrate not just music, but our shared European values.
A monumental artistic endeavour dedicated to “Ode to Joy” – the EU anthem for 40 years – reminded us that culture is more than performance. It is resilience made audible, a way for societies to remember who they are, even in times of uncertainty.
From Beethoven’s notes to Enescu’s vision, from the stage to every seat in the hall, the message was clear:
culture is not a luxury, it is infrastructure for democracy, cohesion, and hope.
As the European Commission, we are proud to stand with the Enescu Festival, showing that our European way of life is carried not only by policies, but by music, art, and the ability to gather together in beauty.
Thank you to the brilliant young musicians from the Romanian Youth Orchestra and the George Enescu Philarmonic Choir and the magic wand of Christian Reif!
Thank you to my brilliant team and the Festival team, as well to Maestro Măcelaru for supporting this dream!