A legendary pianist and a solemn act of remembrance marked the start of a new musical season in Bucharest. Before striking the first chords on stage, Martha Argerich was honored for transforming her art into a beacon for history’s truths.
Martha Argerich, receiving the Order of Honor of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania in rank of Grand Star (Photo Radio România Internaţional)
Radio România Internațional,
02.10.2026, 18:00
The George Enescu Philharmonic has opened its new 2026-2027 chamber music season guided by the fundamental idea that “music doesn’t give us freedom, but rather reveals the freedom already within us”, with a concert featuring two stars of the classical stage: pianist Martha Argerich and mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená, alongside Israeli pianist Iddo Bar-Shai, at the Romanian Athenaeum on September 29.
A distinguished audience, drawn together by a shared devotion to classical mastery, waited patiently outside the historic Romanian Athenaeum for an evening that promised to be far more than a routine seasonal opening.
The emotional peak of the evening unfolded ahead of the concert. In a special ceremony held at The Jewish History Museum in Romania, the President of the Federation of the Jewish Communities in Romania, Silviu Vexler, presented Martha Argerich with the Order of Honor in the rank of Grand Star, Special Class.
In a deeply evocative tribute to Martha Argerich, Silviu Vexler expressed his deepest admiration for her legendary career and honored her profound humanity. He spoke of a legacy that extends far beyond concert halls, commending her for using the universal language of the piano to give a majestic, unwavering voice to the memory and dignity of Holocaust victims, and recalled the deeply moving moments of meeting the great pianist, expressing his special gratitude for her participation in the concert held two years ago at Sala Palatului in Bucharest, under the baton of Zubin Mehta.
Visibly touched by the solemnity of the moment, Martha Argerich accepted the distinction with profound gratitude.
This chamber recital, however, set the stage for an even grander symphonic chapter. On October 1 and 2, the Symphonic Season kicked off with two sold-out concerts conducted by Mikhail Pletnev, marking Martha Argerich’s highly anticipated return to the Philharmonic stage, this time as a soloist with a full orchestra.
Ultimately, this new season isn’t just about encounters with great international artists, it is a deeply personal journey, inviting the public to “experience music as a revelatory force of freedom.”
