Open-air concert at the Green Theater. 1.10.2017

On October 1, 2017, International Music Day, an open-air concert in honor of Eugen Doga’s 80th birthday took place at the Green Theater of the Valea Morilor (The Valley of Windmills) park in Chisinau. One hundred and sixty musicians and 6,000 spectators took part in this event.

It is at this Green Theater that the composer’s first concert with an orchestra took place half a century ago. Almost 50 years later, people from all over the country came to listen to the great composer’s music despite the cold weather.

The concert featured performances by the Maria Bieshu National Opera and Ballet Theater soloists accompanied by its symphonic orchestra and the Academic choir directed by conductor Dumitru Kyrchumaru.

In the concert also performed young talent from the children’s choir Voices of Spring as well as Tatiana Cherga, Yuri Sadovnik, Mariana Bulicanu, Ana-Maria Donoce, Ana Chernikova, Vitalie Advakhov, Igor Syrbu, Dumitru Matu, Igor Stribitski, and Valeriu Kozhakaru.

Among the performed pieces were the song “In Mother’s Memory”, lyrics by GrigoreVieru, a romance to Veronica Micle’s verse “A Bird of Blue Feather”, waltzes “Parisian Cascade”, “Brooks”, “Gramophone”, the famous waltz from the movie My Sweet and Tender Beast,  the hymn “Stephen the Great” set to verse by Mihai Eminescu, a cantata about peace “White Rainbow” set to poetry by Emil Loteanu, “Maria Mirabela” set to a poem by Grigore Vieru, and other famous works. The audience applauded the excellent performance. Maestro himself performed “Eterna” and “Intermezzo” and the audience received him by standing up. At the end of the concert there were fireworks in his honor during the performance of “Hora of Friendship” after which the spectators all sang as one: “Doga! Many years to come!”

Concert guests commented:

“We came with our children so they can also get to know the one who represents us in this world.”

“The concert was outstanding. Wearecontent–thecoldcouldn’tmakeusgohome. We are thankful that the Maestro exists.”

“We don’t mind the cold. We are happy to be here, next to Eugen Doga. We enjoy his music.”

“We came from Tiraspol; we are enjoying the event. There are many people who are into classical music – that was unexpected.”

The Maestro himself was pleasantly surprised by the number of his admirers.

“For me it is important not only to win the audience over but to also keep it. I just spoke with the park’s director and he reminded me that almost 50 years ago my first concert took place here,” shared composer Eugen Doga.