The history of the Royal Charitable Concert – over 400 scholarships offered in support of Romania’s talented young people

The noble cause of the Royal Charitable Concert

Many gifted children come from families whose financial means do not allow them to pursue their talent. Even if their grace is discovered, even if they are accepted in art or music schools, young people from modest families have no real chance of affirmation. Some drop out, being forced to do that because as performance increases, so do learning requirements and expenses. Thus, Romania loses dozens of talented young people every year, who could become cultural ambassadors, but who, due to lack of financial resources or guidance, cannot develop their artistic talent.

In response to this problem, the Margareta of Romania Royal Foundation created a national program to support and promote these talented young artists from modest families who need financial support to develop their potential and express their artistic value.

Her Majesty Margareta – President of the Margareta of Romania Royal Foundation: Our belief is that together we have the power to create a harmonious future for as many artistically talented children and youth as possible, guided and inspired by the masters. Our young people need support and confidence. Romania needs art!

The holistic approach of the project makes it unique in Romania. The project provides the necessary material support in the purchase of materials and creative tools, but it also offers many other learning opportunities, to participate in the masterclasses organized by the Foundation, to meet people in the field of art from whom they learn, to promote their art and talent through events organized by the Foundation.

From 2009 until today, over 400 scholarships have been offered to young people studying classical music or visual arts in high schools and universities in Romania, to help them overcome the financial limit and continue their artistic development. Young Talents is considered the best Art and Culture project in Romania, laureate at the Civil Society Gala in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2022.

Investment in Romania’s artistic future

For many young people at the beginning of their journey, the scholarship represented an essential step in their evolution and affirmation, an opportunity for knowledge and artistic exploration, but also the opportunity to relate to people of culture recognized at national and international level, who guided them in the career. With the support of mentors and sustained promotion, they have achieved extraordinary performances nationally and internationally, being laureates at prestigious international competitions and applauded and admired today in the cultural capitals of the world for their music and art. Today, young musicians are soloists in orchestras, employees of prominent cultural institutions, and visual artists exhibit their works both in the country and abroad. The cellist Andrei Ioniță, the composer Sebastian Androne, the pianist Mihai Ritivoiu, the composer Sebastian Androne, the painter Sabina Dragomir, the visual artist Silviu Preda, the artists Laura and Livia Greaca, but also Cristina Uruc, current director of ARTEXIM – are just some of the former scholarship holders of the Margareta of Romania Royal Foundation.

Personalities from the world of art and culture are involved in the Young Talents program, as members of the scholarship selection jury and as mentors who generously share their experience and create contexts and opportunities for them to assert themselves. Among them the conductor Tiberiu Soare, a valuable consultant for the program, the artist Oana Pellea, the pianist Alexandra Dariescu, the violinist Remus Azoiței, the maestro Marin Cazacu, the conductor Gabriel Bebeșelea, the tenor Teodor Ilincăi.

The Royal Charitable Concert – memorable gala evenings

“It is not enough for a country to give talents; she must know how to keep them alive.” (Nicolae Iorga)

Following the tradition started by Charles I and Queen Elizabeth through the royal foundations, then continued by Queen Maria and Charles II, the Margareta of Romania Royal Foundation assumed the mission of supporting and promoting the talent of young Romanian artists.

The Royal Charitable Concert is organized annually, since 2008, in order to create and develop the national Young Talents program. Traditionally, the Royal Charitable Concert takes place symbolically on October 25, the birthday of King Michael I of Romania, founder of the Margareta of Romania Royal Foundation alongside Her Majesty Margareta, Custodian of the Romanian Crown.

The gala evenings enjoyed a remarkable presence every year: over 800 guests, members of the Royal Families, members of the Diplomatic Corps, cultural and business personalities, donors, sponsors and supporters of the Foundation. The Royal Concert is an event with a successful media coverage to an annual audience of over 5 million people via TV and radio, being broadcast live by the TVR and Radio Romania channels.

Each edition of the Royal Charitable Concert brought to the stage of the Romanian Athenaeum the most valuable musicians of the moment and great orchestras, in support of young Romanian artists. The Romanian Athenaeum as host of the event, TVR as co-producer and Radio Romania as media partner contributed to the exemplary organization of the gala evening.

A collection of emotional moments and uplifting generosity took place every evening of October 25, and the 12 gala evenings brought to the stage of the Romanian Athenaeum the most valuable musicians of the moment and great orchestras, in support of young Romanian artists. Pianist Dan Grigore (2008), Radio Chamber Orchestra and conductor Cristian Mandeal (2009), soprano Nelly Miricioiu, baritone Yuriy Tsiple and conductor Horia Andreescu (2010), violinist Remus Azoiței, Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra joined this prestigious event. George Enescu” and conductor Christian Badea (2011), violinist Alexandru Tomescu, Stradivarius Ensemble and conductor Gabriel Bebeşelea (2012), violinist Giuliano Carmignola and Stravaganza Ensemble (2013), pianist Alexandra Dariescu, Orchestra of the Royal Margaret Foundation of Romania and conductor Tiberiu Soare ( 2014), tenor Teodor Ilincăi (2015), violinist Roman Kim (2016), violinist Anna Tifu, pianist Mihai Diaconescu and conductor Constantin Adrian Grigore (2018), soprano Cellia Costea and tenor Teodor Ilincăi, Romania Youth Orchestra and conductor Gabriel Bebeșelea (2019), cellist Andrei Ioniță, soprano Diana Alexe, and tenor George Vîrban, accompanied by the New Hope Orchestra conducted by David Crescenzi (2022) have all joined this prestigious event.

In 2008, the first fundraising recital was initiated, performed by pianist Dan Grigore. An evening of grace, under the title “Dan Grigore – 50 seasons on the stages of the world told in musical jewels”, attracted the audience in an atmosphere emanating warmth, harmony and solidarity. Donations and sponsorships of approximately 80,000 euros laid the foundations for the creation of the Young Talents project.

In 2009, the Radio Chamber Orchestra performed a perfect musical program under the baton of maestro Cristian Mandeal, in the second edition of the gala concert. The event was also attended by members of the diplomatic corps, cultural personalities and top managers of Romanian companies. The concert raised approximately 40,000 euros and enabled the continuation of the scholarship program for talented young people without financial means.

In 2010, in the presence of 800 spectators, there was an extraordinary charity concert offered by soprano Nelly Miricioiu, one of the most important names of the world lyric scene, baritone Yuriy Tsiple and conductor Horia Andreescu. The amount collected from sponsorships, donations and the sale of tickets, worth approximately 70,000 euros, made up the scholarship fund of a new edition of the Young Talents project. The event was broadcast live by TVR Cultural and rebroadcast by TVR1.

The gala concert in 2011, in the presence of King Michael I, who turned 90 years old, and many representatives of European royal families, marked a landmark in the history of this prestigious event. 2011 is the year of a triumphant concert that marked the jubilee of King Mihai, who was 90 years old. The soloist of the evening was violinist Remus Azoiţei, internationally recognized for his extraordinary qualities, who performed with the Symphony Orchestra of the “George Enescu” Philharmonic under the baton of master Christian Badea, winner of a Grammy award. The hall of the Romanian Athenaeum proved insufficient for the public who would have wanted to participate in the event, the tickets being sold out long before. The event, organized for the fourth consecutive year, collected 85,000 Euros and allowed the development of the project dedicated to the young artists of Romania.

In 2012, the violinist Alexandru Tomescu and the sounds of his Stradivarius violin fascinated the audience present at the Romanian Athenaeum in the fifth edition of the long-awaited royal charity event. Accompanied by the Stradivarius Ensemble, conducted by the talented Gabriel Bebeşelea, the musical program of the evening included “The Seasons” by Antonio Vivaldi and “The Four Seasons” by Astor Piazzola. The concert raised approximately 70,000 euros to support a new generation of talented young people through scholarships, mentors and promotion.

2013 was the year in which the famous Venetian violinist Giuliano Carmignola offered magical moments in baroque style with the girl ensemble La Stravaganza conducted by the prestigious Christian Badea. The sum of 110,000 Euros was mobilized to support a new generation of talented young people. The complexity of the Young Talents project enshrines it as The Best Art and Culture project in Romania at the Civil Society Gala.

The year 2014 brings to the stage of the Romanian Athenaeum a youth concert – the pianist Alexandra Dariescu, an exceptional ambassador of classical music, and the Orchestra of the Princess Margareta Foundation of Romania, an ensemble composed and led by the conductor Tiberiu Soare. For the first time in the Royal Concert, three “Young Talents” – soprano Diana Alexe, mezzo-soprano Cosmina Stancu and tenor George Vîrban, performed arias from famous operas. A new generation of artists could apply for a scholarship the following year.

In 2015, the traditional charity event brought to the public famous arias and songs performed by Teodor Ilincăi, one of the most valuable Romanian tenors of his generation. The Orchestra of the Foundation, under the baton of maestro Tiberiu Soare, the cellists Izabela Ghergu and Cornelius Zirbo, two young laureates at national and international competitions and Olympiads, as well as the duets of the scholarship holders, offered a memorable show in the eighth edition of the grand charity concert.

In the same year, the Young Talents program reaches the number of 200 scholarship holders and is reconfirmed as The Best Art and Culture project in Romania, at the Civil Society Gala.

2016 brings violinist Roman Kim, one of the world’s most acclaimed violinists, together with the Princess Margareta Foundation Orchestra of Romania, conducted by maestro Tiberiu Soare, in a new exceptional concert. Roman Kim dazzled the audience with moments of exceptional virtuosity, being both composer and inventor, reimagining the way classical music can develop in the age of technology. Over 150.00 Euros were collected to support the talent of young Romanians, at the ninth edition of the Royal Charity Concert.

The 2017 event marks 10 years dedicated to young talents, 300 scholarships offered, over 1 million euros invested in Romania’s cultural future. The anniversary edition brings back to the public three of the artists who have offered unique and emotional moments throughout the ten editions of this event, successful musicians on major stages of the world: violinist Remus Azoiței, pianist Alexandra Dariescu and tenor Teodor Ilincai, accompanied by the Orchestra of the Princess Margareta of Romania Foundation, conducted by Tiberiu Soare. The Royal Concert thus becomes one of the longest-running and most successful fundraising events in Romania.

In the centenary year 2018, the violinist Anna Țifu, the pianist Mihai Diaconescu and the Royal Chamber directed by Constantin Adrian Grigore excited the audience with the interpretation of established works by Romanian composers, such as “Balada” by Ciprian Porumbescu and “Moment Muzical” by Nicolae Kirkulescu. Awarded for excellence at prestigious international competitions, the young musicians celebrated 100 years of the Great Union through their musical repertoire. The documentary film “For the love of Romania” illustrated the historical contribution of the Royal Family of Romania to culture and art, as well as the way in which the Foundation continued the tradition of supporting and promoting Romanian talent.

In 2019, it is the last masterful concert at the Romanian Athenaeum offered by soprano Cellia Costea, tenor Teodor Ilincăi and the Romanian Youth Orchestra, conducted by Gabriel Bebeșelea, who excited the audience with an exceptional interpretation of the Italian opera repertoire.

The Romanian Athenaeum, a symbol of the national culture, was the host of the 12 memorable editions of the Royal Charity Concert. In the years 2020-2021, the period of the pandemic, the Royal Concert was interrupted as a musical event with an audience on the stage of the Athenaeum, and art acquired new unconventional forms of manifestation and became the bearer of social messages. Romania needed art, and to continue the Young Talents project, the Royal Margareta Foundation of Romania launched the media campaign “Romania needs art” and donations via SMS with the text ARTĂ to 8864, so that art lovers can continue to contribute to the destiny of young artists. Her Majesty Margareta and personalities from the cultural world joined the media campaign and conveyed their message of support for the new generation of Romanian artists right from the Romanian Athenaeum stage, through the show-event broadcast on TVR, Radio Romania Cultural and Musical channels. “Romania needs art” were conveyed to the public by Oana Pellea, Marcel Iureş, Paula Seling, Zoli Toth, Irina Margareta Nistor, Ștefan Câlția, Corina Șuteu but also the musicians Alexandru Tomescu, Tiberiu Soare, Nelly Miricioiu, Iulia Isaev, Felicia Filip, Marin Cazacu.

In 2022, the Royal Charitable Concert returned to the stage of the Romanian Athenaeum with its 13th edition. The protagonists were young and highly acclaimed musicians who have performed on significant stages around the world, from Carnegie Hall in New York, London, Shanghai, Munich, to Vienn. Cellist Andrei Ioniță, soprano Diana Alexe, and tenor George Vîrban, accompanied by the New Hope Orchestra conducted by David Crescenzi, came together on October 25th to deliver an emotionally charged classical music performance on the stage of the Romanian Athenaeum. The musical program of the evening consisted of a selection of the most beautiful opera and operetta pieces, famous arias and duets extracted from the works of composers such as Gounod, Verdi, Donizetti, Lehar, and Sorozabal. Additionally, the audience had the opportunity to listen to Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations performed by cellist Andrei Ioniță.

Andrei Ioniță is one of the world’s most valuable cellists, designated as a “BBC New Generation Artist” for the 2016-2018 period. He is considered by The Times as “one of the most captivating cellists to have emerged in the past decade” and the first Romanian musician to win the gold medal at the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, one of the most significant music competitions in the world. Andrei, Diana, and George were themselves recipients of scholarships from the Margareta of Romania Royal Foundation in their early careers. These successful artists serve as ambassadors for the Young Talents program and, through their musical performance at the Royal Concert, they, in turn, provide support to other emerging artists, as a gesture of generosity and recognition for all they have received and achieved.

For the fourth time, the Young Talents program has been reaffirmed as the Best Arts and Culture Project in Romania at the Civil Society Gala.

The Royal Concert on October 25, 2023, 14th edition This year, together on the stage of the Romanian Athenaeum at the charitable Royal Concert are tenor Ioan Hotea and mezzo-soprano Martiniana Antonie, in a special event with the noble purpose of raising funds for Young Talents scholarships. Alongside them, the Romanian Youth Orchestra, conducted by Gabriel Bebeșelea.

Ioan Hotea is a successful tenor on renowned stages worldwide and a laureate of numerous singing competitions, including the Hariclea Darclée 2015, Grand Prix, and Operalia Placido Domingo, London 2015. In the 2023-2024 season, Ioan Hotea returned to the stage of the Massimo Theater in Palermo for the roles of Tebaldo in Capulets and Montagues and the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto. He was invited back to perform the role of Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor at the Staatsoper Hamburg and Staatsoper Berlin, and in the Spring Festival of Wiesbaden in 2024, he will make his debut in the role of Fenton in Falstaff.

Mezzo-soprano Martiniana Antonie is one of the most beautiful voices of the new generation of musicians, gaining considerable recognition this year for her role as Rosina at the National Theater Mannheim. Her musical career has been decisively influenced during her time as a recipient of the Young Talents program, receiving support at the right moment in her development as a lyric artist.

Gabriel Bebeșelea is one of Romania’s most talented conductors, invited to prestigious orchestras, including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra London, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Barcelona Symphony Orchestra, Castilla y León Symphony Orchestra, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, and Bochumer Symphoniker. He serves as the Principal Conductor of the “Transilvania” State Philharmonic in Cluj-Napoca and the “George Enescu” Philharmonic in Bucharest. In 2023, during the European Capital of Culture, Gabriel Bebeșelea will be the Resident Conductor of the “Banatul” Philharmonic in Timișoara.

“It is a great joy and honor to conduct the Royal Concert for the third time on October 25, which has become a tradition. The idea of this concert has always been under the sign of generosity, and the Margareta of Romania Royal Foundation, through the hundreds of scholarships offered to the most talented young artists in Romania, has had a strong formative role in our culture. And there could be no more fitting ensemble for this event than the Romanian Youth Orchestra, which includes many scholarship recipients of the Foundation, and is a standard of excellence and youth. Also under the sign of excellence and youth is the exceptional tenor Ioan Hotea, a presence on the world’s most important opera stages, who will be the soloist of this concert. But to complete the circle perfectly, his stage partner will be the extraordinary mezzo-soprano Martiniana Antonie, a former scholarship recipient of the Foundation and a concrete demonstration of the powerful impact that FRMR programs have on the future of young talents,” says conductor Gabriel Bebeșelea.

The Romanian Youth Orchestra is considered the best orchestra in the country in recent years, quickly making a name for itself on the international music scene. Formed in 2008, at the initiative of cellist Marin Cazacu, it brings together the best young musicians in Romania for a unique artistic experience with the goal of achieving a high level of performance. This year, for the seventh time, the Romanian Youth Orchestra is invited to the “YoungEuroClassic” International Festival in Berlin, one of the most important cultural events of its kind in the world.

The Royal Concert takes place in the presence of the Royal Family of Romania. Following the established ritual, the orchestra will perform the Royal Anthem at the opening, followed by a speech to the audience by Her Majesty Margareta. At the end of the concert, members of the Royal Family will visit the art exhibition and join the audience in the foyer.

The audience at home can get involved by sending an SMS to 8864 with the text “ARTA,” thus supporting scholarships for the young talents of Romania.

Funds raised from sponsorships and ticket sales at the Royal Concert will support the 2024 edition of the Young Talents project, for which the Foundation will launch a national selection process among high school and university students of specialized institutions. Scholarship recipients will be selected based on their social background, as well as their demonstrated talent and artistic potential. They will subsequently receive support in the form of scholarships, mentorship, and promotion over the course of a calendar year.

Being one of the longest-running and most successful fundraising events in Romania, the charitable Royal Concert has mobilized over 1,900,000 euros to support the national Young Talents scholarship program.