Corul Madrigal and Marius Manole – Ave Maria

On Sunday, 29 August 2021, at 20:00, Corul Național de Cameră „Madrigal – Marin Constantin” and Opera Națională București invite music lovers to the Special Concert „Ave Maria”. 
The event will take place as part of Promenada Operei and will feature guests actor Marius Manole and children from the instrumental and choral ensembles of Programul Național Cantus Mundi: the Young Beats percussion group, founded and coordinated by musician Zoli Toth, and Cor cu Dor, founded and coordinated by Teodora Jaworski.

„„Ave Maria”, a unique artistic concept prepared by Corul Madrigal to celebrate St Mary’s feast, is returning to the stage once again this summer through a partnership with the prestigious Opera Națională București. We are delighted that the fourth „Ave Maria” performance once again features actor Marius Manole as a special guest, alongside talented children from Programul Național Cantus Mundi, who always bring extra colour and freshness to Madrigal projects. We are pleased to perform outdoors on the Opera Națională esplanade, a spacious setting so  appreciated by lovers of music and the performing arts” – said Emil Pantelimon, manager of Corul Național de Cameră „Madrigal – Marin Constantin”. 

After receiving enthusiastic applause during its performance on 15 August, Corul Național de Cameră „Madrigal – Marin Constantin”, conducted by Anna Ungureanu, returns to the Bucharest stage with another „Ave Maria” performance. Its repertoire is dedicated to portrayals of the Virgin Mary in international music, enriched by a moving selection of Psalms masterfully delivered by Marius Manole. The performance will be complemented by spectacular stage design, incorporating impressive projections and architectural lighting.

The Special Concert „Ave Maria” programme includes Romanian and international works in various forms and styles, selected by Corul Național de Cameră „Madrigal – Marin Constantin”’s Principal Conductor, Anna Ungureanu. It offers sacred-inspired music, from Orthodox Byzantine compositions to Renaissance motets and complex works from the history of international and contemporary music.

Tickets can be purchased on http://tickets.operanb.ro/ and at Opera Națională București’s box office. Ticket prices start at 40 lei.

Partners: Opera Națională București, Opera Comică pentru Copii

Further information is available on www.madrigal.ro, https://operanb.ro/ and on the two institutions’ social media pages.

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Corul Național de Cameră „Madrigal – Marin Constantin” is an emblem of Romanian and international musical life. Since its founding in 1963 by conductor Marin Constantin (1925–2011), Corul Madrigal has given over 4.600 concerts acclaimed worldwide, establishing itself as a true „national brand”. It is one of the world’s benchmarks for chamber choral music, with a repertoire encompassing the European Renaissance, Byzantine music and contemporary Romanian and international works. 
In November 2016, Corul Național de Cameră „Madrigal – Marin Constantin” was officially recognised as an Ambassador of Freedom, Hope and Peace, receiving the „Jean Nussbaum and Eleanor Roosevelt” award at the United Nations Palace in Geneva during the Global Summit on Religion, Peace and Security. 
After 58 years of uninterrupted activity, Corul Național de Cameră „Madrigal – Marin Constantin”, a public concert institution of national importance under Romania’s Ministry of Culture, continues its cultural diplomacy work as one of Europe’s longest-established and most highly regarded choral ensembles.
Since 2011, Corul Madrigal has run Programul Național Cantus Mundi, Romania’s largest programme for children’s social integration through music, initiated by maestro Ion Marin. It currently brings together over 1.680 choirs and over 60.000 children in Romania and the diaspora.

Opera Națională București, an institution under the Ministry of Culture, is Romania’s most important stage for musical and choreographic performance. 
Formally established as an institution in 1921 and marking a hundred years since its founding in 2021, Opera Națională București grew out of Compania Opera Română, founded by George Stephănescu and active in Romania since 1885, performing at Teatrul Național. 
Its first official performance took place on 8 December 1921 with Richard Wagner’s Lohengrin, conducted by the great composer George Enescu, who wished to emphasise his support and active involvement in this historic moment in Romanian culture.  This year, also on 8 December, the centenary performance of the same work is scheduled, directed by Silviu Purcarete with an internationally renowned cast.
At 100 years since its formal establishment, Opera Națională București presents a different Promenada Operei, transforming this traditional event, now in its eleventh edition, into a full festival. In its centenary year, Opera Națională București celebrates not only opera but the performing arts in general, from 27 August to 12 September, featuring its own artists alongside guest artists and partner institutions, transforming the Opera’s forecourt into a genuine cultural hub.
From 27 August to 12 September, Promenada Operei will host over 600 artists, offering audiences over 2700 minutes of music and performance. 

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Corul Național de Cameră „Madrigal – Marin Constantin”
Programul Național Cantus Mundi