Franco-Romanian pianist Alexandra Silocea, an artist with a remarkable international career and curator of unique musical experiences, will perform at the Romanian Athenaeum on Tuesday, October 14, at 7:00 p.m., as part of the “Silvia Șerbescu” Festival.

Through Alexandra Silocea, trained in Paris by a disciple of Silvia Șerbescu, an artistic legacy spanning generations continues. She will bring to life a special program dedicated to Austrian composers, marking the bicentenary of Johann Strauss, on a Bösendorfer 280 Vienna Concert grand piano. The evening, built around artistic continuity, will also include literary interludes inspired by Silvia Șerbescu’s correspondence and life, recited by actress Natalia Cebanu based on a script by Mihai Ivașcu. 

Currently based in Vienna, Silocea creates experiences that go beyond the traditional concert format—bridges between past and present, between music and other forms of art, and above all, between artist and audience. Her interdisciplinary projects have been presented in partnership with institutions such as the National Gallery London, Heidi Horten Collection, and the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna. She has performed in renowned venues like Musikverein Wien, Carnegie Hall, Royal Festival Hall, and Wigmore Hall, with orchestras such as the London Philharmonic, Bamberg Symphony, and Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of conductors including Vladimir Jurowski, Jakub Hrůša, and Roderick Cox. She has also extended her artistic dialogues beyond the stage, collaborating with Wien Museum, Belvedere, and the Schönberg Center.

The “Silvia Șerbescu” Festival, dedicated to the memory of the first Romanian pianist to achieve international acclaim and, through her, the recognition of the Romanian piano school, is not only a celebration of musical excellence but also a project with a strong social and educational mission. At least 10% of available seats at festival events are offered free of charge to people with disabilities, social center beneficiaries, and music high school students, ensuring art and heritage remain accessible to all.

The festival prelude featured an opening recital by Alexandra Silocea at Casa Vintilă Brătianu, under the auspices of the “George Enescu” International Festival.

The official opening event, a cultural soirée, will take place on October 10 at Plan 4, a recently restored architectural gem, featuring the #Aiciastat Quartet and the “Mugurașii” children’s choir from Călărași. As part of the national Cantus Mundi program, the choir will bring to the stage children from disadvantaged backgrounds in a cultural inclusion initiative. A multimedia exhibition dedicated to Silvia Șerbescu will also be inaugurated, featuring archival photos, letters, rare documents, and an augmented reality installation by Ioana Nicoară and Sergiu Negulici. The exhibition will run from October 11 to 19.

An interwar salon atmosphere will be recreated on October 12 at the Alexandru Țipoia Memorial House and on October 18 at the Cesianu-Racoviță Palace.

The festival continues on October 16 with a commemorative concert in memory of Silvia Șerbescu at the “George Enescu” Hall of the National University of Music Bucharest, performed by the Petru Ghenghea Engineers’ Orchestra conducted by Andrei Iliescu, with pianist Vlad Dimulescu as soloist. On October 19, the public is invited to a guided tour retracing Silvia Șerbescu’s footsteps through Bucharest’s historic districts.

More details and tickets are available at aiciastat.ro.

Silvia Șerbescu (1903–1965) was the first Romanian pianist to gain international recognition. She studied at the Royal Academy of Music in Bucharest and at the École Normale de Musique in Paris, where she earned her “licence de concert” with distinction. She performed on major international stages and shared the recital platform with George Enescu, who in 1942 wrote: “To my remarkable partner this evening, admiration and respect.” As a professor at the Bucharest Conservatory, she trained generations of pianists. Today, her bust, sculpted by Gheorghe D. Anghel, stands in the main hall of the National University of Music Bucharest.

The Cultural Association Aici a Stat, founded by Ana Rubeli, has become a reference point in heritage promotion, organizing events that bring together architectural history, personal legacies, and contemporary cultural experiences. With a community of over 70,000 followers and more than 50 events organized since 2022, #Aiciastat has transformed historic houses into vibrant spaces for concerts, exhibitions, and soirées, offering audiences profound and authentic cultural encounters.

Written by News.ro |  2 Oct 2025, 11:13