The Romanian Embassy and the Romanian Cultural Institute organized a musical evening at the Saint Maroun church in Gemmayzeh on Tuesday evening to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Romania’s entry into the Organization of La Francophonie, entitled “Romania en voyage musical francophone” (Romania on a musical francophone jourbey) , with the presence of the Romanian ambassador H.E.Radu-Catalin Mardare, but also Lawyer Fawaz Kabbara, vice-president of the National Authority for the fight against corruption, former deputy Mr. Ghassan Moukheiber , Dr. Heba Kawwas director of the National Conservatory, as well as the Program Director of the Lebanese Radio Ms. Rita Najim Al-Roumi, and a number of ambassadors, consuls and cultural, academic and social personalities. The evening was animated by the pianist Denis Dubois of the French Opera, the International Lyric Soprano Micaela Mingueras, the international violinist Ondin Brezeanu, as well as the Lebanese Tenor Bechara Moufarrej and M.William Barakat. The ambassador made a speech in which he welcomed the audience and then continued: “Two thousand and twenty-three is the year of the anniversary of Romania’s 30 years of full right membership to the institutional Francophonie. Our country is one of the important actors within the Organization, both in terms of financial contribution and of actions undertaken to promote the Francophonie and its values: peace, democracy and human rights as well as cultural diversity and solidarity for the development of countries having French in common’. He added: “On the occasion of the Francophonie Summit in Bucharest in 2006, the Romanian government decided to create the “Eugène Ionesco” scholarship program – a program of doctoral studies and post-doctoral research, intended for French-speaking researchers enrolled in member universities of the ‘Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie’ (Francophonie University Agency). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has so far awarded grants to more than 1,200 researchers from 39 countries. He continued: ‘Bucharest hosts the OIF Regional Representation for Central and Eastern Europe and the Regional Directorate of the ‘Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie’. Romania was designated in 2007 as the “flagship state of la Francophonie” in this same region. This anniversary is placed under the high patronage of the President of Romania, with the theme: “The Francophonie of the future: education for sustainable development”, and some of the milestones are the French-speaking conference dedicated to the debate on this theme, the official inauguration of the ‘Maison de la Francophonie’ (House of Francophonie) on the campus of the Polytechnic University of Bucharest and the organization of the Francophone Economic Summit’. In conclusion: ‘Tonight, the Romanian Cultural Institute and the Romanian Embassy in Beirut thank you very much for your participation and invite you to embark on our musical journey with Romanian, French and Lebanese artists! ». Then a young lady from the organizing crew introduced the artists: ‘The Franco-Romanian Soprano Micaela Minghera?, soloist of the Paris Opera but also Bordeaux, Lyon, Limoges and Montpellier, has a very large list of roles, and more than 600 concerts with baroque music, orchestras and recitals. She supports young Lebanese, Romanian and French talents with her association PRO Voces. She gives ‘Master Classes’ in New York, Paris, Beirut and Bucharest. As she is often called upon as a musical adviser on singers’ records. Today she sings alongside her former student Béchara Moufarrej. Denis Dubois, French, is the best vocal coach at the Paris Opera – Bastille, but also Assistant Conductor. He directed Placido Domingo, Nadine Sierra, Prety Yende, Anna Netrebko and many others… He is always listening to the young generation and always positive in his wonderful work and tonight he will accompany our artists on the piano. Romanian violinist Ondin Brezeanu is one of the best Romanian violinists, who for 20 years was „Concert Maestro’ in the Beirut Philharmonic Orchestra. He is an accomplished soloist, from a family of musicians, who plays on all stages of the world. Mr. Brezeanu is currently „Concert Maestro’ in the Bucharest Philharmonic Orchestra. The lyric tenor Bechara Moufarrej is one of the first discoveries of Ms. Micaela Mingheras, his rare talent earned him admission to the Royal School of Music in London. He makes a beautiful career on all the stages of Opera; his fresh voice, his musicality and his stage play are great assets for a career marked by future successes. Mr. William Barakat, Tenor, has been passionate about singing for over 10 years. He is a talent, whose voice vibrates with its musicality, its color as well as its beautiful energy on a repertoire of international songs which carries the general public.
Source: National News Agency – Lebanon
