The Romanian Cultural Institute in Beijing has the great honor to invite you to the extraordinary concert “George Enescu ’70”, performed by violinist Diana Jipa and pianist Toma Popovici, on Sunday, November 30, 2025, at 6:00 p.m., at the premises of the Romanian Cultural Institute in Galaxy SOHO.
“George Enescu ’70” is organized on the occasion of Saint Andrew’s Day and in the eve of Romania’s National Day, in memory of George Enescu, Romania’s greatest composer, commemorating 70 years since his passing into eternity.
George Enescu (1881–1955) — composer, violinist, pianist, conductor, and pedagogue — stands as a fundamental figure of Romanian culture and one of the universal voices of 20th-century music. Trained in Vienna and Paris, he united the rigor of Western classical tradition with the emotional depth of Romanian folk expression, shaping a musical language of exceptional originality and spiritual refinement. From the Romanian Rhapsodies to the monumental opera Oedipe, Enescu created a national style of universal value. His artistic and human legacy deeply influenced generations of musicians, including Yehudi Menuhin, and continues to represent a model of cultural integrity and artistic excellence.
The concert program brings together some of Enescu’s most beloved compositions, alongside works by major Romanian and European composers — Ciprian Porumbescu, Paul Constantinescu, Alfonso Castaldi, Béla Bartók, Jules Massenet, He Zhanhao & Chen Gang, and Pablo de Sarasate — offering a panorama of musical dialogue between tradition and modernity across the past century.
Program (approx. 60 minutes):
George Enescu – Tarantella
Ciprian Porumbescu – Ballad for Violin and Piano
Paul Constantinescu – Sonatina for Violin and Piano
Alfonso Castaldi – Elegy for Violin and Piano (arr. Diana Jipa & Ștefan Doniga)
George Enescu – Lăutarul for Solo Violin
George Enescu – Toccata from Suite Op.10 for Piano
Jules Massenet – Méditation de Thaïs
He Zhanhao & Chen Gang – Butterfly Lovers
Pablo de Sarasate – Fantasy on Themes from Bizet’s Carmen
Béla Bartók – Six Romanian Folk Dances
Diana Jipa, one of the most distinguished Romanian violinists of her generation, debuted at the age of ten as a soloist with the Brașov Philharmonic Orchestra. She has since performed extensively in Europe and Asia — including Belgium, South Korea, China, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Norway, and Poland — and represented Romania at the 2005 concert in Brussels marking the signing of the Treaty of Accession to the European Union. A Doctor of Music from the National University of Music Bucharest, she is admired for the elegance, clarity, and emotional depth of her interpretation.
Toma Popovici, a leading Romanian pianist and Associate Professor at the National University of Music Bucharest, is a laureate of the international “Dinu Lipatti” (Bucharest) and “Waki” (Japan) competitions, as well as recipient of the “Mihail Jora” Award from the Romanian Union of Music Critics. A graduate of both the Bucharest and Boston Universities, he has performed at the George Enescu International Festival, Rockport Chamber Music Festival, Murten Classics, and with major orchestras in Romania and abroad.
Through this event, the Romanian Cultural Institute in Beijing pays tribute to the legacy and vision of George Enescu — an artist who transformed the Romanian sensibility into a universal language, revealing through music the spiritual depth and creative vitality of an entire people.
To confirm your attendance, please scan the QR code on the event poster or visit: Eventbrite – Concert George Enescu ’70 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/concert-george-enescu-70-with-violinist-diana-jipa-pianist-toma-popovici-tickets-1963470503130.
We look forward to seeing you!
