Bucharest Opera Festival Commemorative Gala Concert Held at the Romanian Embassy in Japan: General Director, Artistic Director, and Divas Visit Japan
Hosted by the Romanian Cultural Institute
This year, the 5th Bucharest Opera Festival will be held in Bucharest, the capital of Romania. To commemorate this opera festival, leading Romanian soprano Iulia Isaev and pianist Liana Mareș visited Japan and held a concert on the 4th of May 2026 at the Romanian Embassy in Japan.
Prior to this gala concert, Daniel Jinga, General Director of the Bucharest Opera, and Ortea Șerban-Pârâu, Artistic Director of the Bucharest Opera Festival, also visited Japan and introduced details about the Bucharest Opera Festival.
General Director Jinga emphasized that the Bucharest Opera Festival is not merely a music festival, but that “continuity and dialogue” are important in its organization. During the festival, different operas, ballets, and stage art works will be performed each night, each with its own unique design. The program offers a rare opportunity to enjoy a wide range of musical works, from classical pieces to those rarely performed in Romania.
These diverse performing arts are presented by leading Romanian opera houses as well as many international guests. During the festival, a total of over 1,500 artists and staff members will be working on the same stage. These world-class performing artists include those from theaters throughout Romania, such as the Bucharest Opera House, as well as invited artists from abroad. From Japan, the Yamamoto Noh Theatre in Osaka will be performing.
That evening, at the Romanian Embassy in Tokyo, following an introduction to the Bucharest Opera Festival and a video screening, a gala concert by a Romanian soprano was held.
Soprano Iulia Isaev is not only a top-level opera singer belonging to the Bucharest Opera House, but also a treasure of Romanian opera, performing in opera houses around the world. Romania has produced many renowned sopranos, including Ileana Cotrubaș and Angela Gheorghiu, and now Isaev can be said to be following in their footsteps. Like many sopranos from former Eastern Europe, her rich, melancholic voice is incredibly captivating and enthralling. Isaev is active not only at the Romanian National Opera and on stages across Europe, but also made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in 2019, performing the title role in Tosca. During this gala concert, she demonstrated the breadth and versatility of her repertoire, opening with an aria from Tosca before moving through a rich program of celebrated operatic arias, Francesco Paolo Tosti songs, Romanian musical pieces, and even a musical medley. Simply hearing Isaev’s voice is enough to appreciate the exceptional artistic standard represented by the Bucharest Opera Festival.
The 5th Bucharest Opera Festival will be held at the Bucharest Opera House from June 11th to 22nd, 2026. Although still relatively new, this festival will undoubtedly grow into a leading European music festival, much like the Salzburg Festival. I would love to visit it someday.
Participating Groups in the 5th Bucharest Opera Festival
Domestic Groups
- Opera Națională București
- Opera Națională Română Iași
- Opera Națională Română Timișoara
- Opera Maghiară din Cluj-Napoca
- Teatrul Național de Operă și Balet Oleg Danovski
- Teatrul Național de Operă și Operetă Nae Leonard
- Orchestra de Cameră Radio
Overseas Groups
- Puccini Festival Orchestra (Torre del Lago, Italy)
- Krakow Opera House (Poland)
- Maria Wiesz National Opera and Ballet Theatre (Chisinau, Moldova)
- Ruse National Opera House (Bulgaria)
- Yamamoto Noh Theatre (Osaka, Japan)
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- Interactive Lectures on Japanese Culture at the Residence of the Dutch Ambassador
