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The George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra (= GEPO; Filarmonica George Enescu = FGE; Orchestra Filarmonicii George Enescu din Bucureşti; formerly Bucharest Philharmonic Orchestra) is a musical institution of Romania. Founded in 1886, under the supervision of Eduard Wachman, the Romanian Philharmonic Society had as purpose the creation of a permanent symphonic orchestra in Bucharest. By December of the same year, its first concert took place. After the palace of the Romanian Athenaeum was inaugurated on March 5, 1889, the concerts of the society started to take place in that location, as they do to this day.
Wachman, who conducted the first permanent orchestra until 1907, was followed by Dimitrie Dinicu (1868-1936), and himself was followed as the principal conductor starting from 1920, by George Georgescu (student of Arthur Nikisch and Richard Strauss).
After World War II, the institution diversified its activity by creating the Academic Choir, a nucleus of soloists (such as Maria Kardas Barna who was a permanent piano soloist until 1971), and several chamber ensembles. After the death of George Enescu in 1955, the Bucharest Philharmonic Orchestra was renamed George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra in his honour. Likewise, the Orchestra is, by tradition, the first to play at the George Enescu Festival.
The Philharmonic's principal conductors have included Constantin Silvestri, Mircea Basarab, Dumitru Capoianu, Ion Voicu, Mihai Brediceanu, Cristian Mandeal. Currently, the general director is Andrei Dimitriu, and the art director is Nicolae Licaret.
Fouded in 2010 by Cristian Mancaș, the George Enescu Philharmonic Foundation aims to support, promote and integrate "George Enescu" Philharmonic into the international artistic circuit. |
