Globally celebrated and beloved operatic and classical-crossover tenor Andrea Bocelli took the stage on Friday evening in Bucharest to an audience of thousands, as part of the Unforgettable Festival 2025 which turned the Constitution Square into an open-air opera house for two hours.

In the first part of the evening, 'King of the Pan Flute' Gheorghe Zamfir played alongside various guests on a stage with over 100 instrumentalists, receiving a standing ovation.

Famous arias such as 'La donna e mobile' or 'Nessun dorma', but also highly popular hits that left many humming their infectious tunes after the show, such as 'O Sole Mio', 'Can't Help Falling in Love' and 'Time to Say Goodbye', were a the highlights of the Italian tenor's recital.

Bocelli's unmistakable voice kept everyone present, from young to old, in awe, charmed by the blend of pop and classical sounds.

The 66-year-old artist with a brilliant career, 15 solo studio albums to his credit and over 90 million records sold worldwide, declared himself 'thrilled' by the presence of such a large audience at his concert. 'Thank you very much for being here', the tenor told the spectators in Bucharest.

Friday - the second day of this year's Unforgettable Festival, kicked off with a recital by Romanian singer Nicole Cherry, followed on stage by maestro Gheorghe Zamfir and his guests, in a show titled 'Celebrating Zamfir' and which had the choir and orchestra of the Bucharest National Opera House and the Bucharest Metropolitan Orchestra perform under the baton of acclaimed conductor Daniel Jinga, and dancers from the Ballet Studio of the Bucharest National Opera enhance the dramatic atmosphere.

From the first moving sounds of the pan flute, the rain stopped and the sun came out illuminating the Palace of Parliament that provided the backdrop for the event, as well as the entire stage.

Among Gheorghe Zamfir's guests were pan flute artist Daniela-Ioana Ghita, the Three Tenors of Iasi, soprano Rodica Anghelescu, the Allegretto Choir, the folk vocal group Traditionalii, actor Sorin Francu, as well as very young instrumentalists who thrilled the audience with well-known melodies on the pan flute and accordion.

In her act, singer Paula Seling paid tribute to the great Moldavian composer Eugen Doga who passed away this summer, performing an elegant rendition of his Waltz (from the movie 'My Sweet and Tender Beast'), accompanied on the piano by conductor Giora Lindenberg.

Met with applause by the audience, Gheorghe Zamfir performed 'Doina de jale/Sorrowful Doina' in memory of Sergiu Celibidache. 'I will always carry him in my heart,' declared the 84-year-old 'King of the Pan Flute' about the Romanian conductor and composer who was his friend.

In a first for this event, two distinctions were awarded at the current edition of the Unforgettable Festival - one to maestro Gheorghe Zamfir, presented to him by Bucharest acting Mayor Stelian Bujduveanu, the other to conductor Daniel Jinga.

The curtain rose on Thursday on the Unforgettable Festival 2025, described by the organizers as the largest pop-symphonic festival in Romania, with a show by Greek singer Nikos Vertis, who delivered his most beloved repertoire to a large crowd, alongside Romanian artist Andra.

Saturday, the last night of the festival, will see Spanish tenor Jose Carreras and Welsh mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins, the band Subcarpati with the project 'Symphonic', Iranian-Swedish singer Arash and Swedish artist Loreen take the stage. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Dana Purgaru; EN - writing by: Simona Klodnischi)