This year's edition of the Sounds of Oradea Festival, taking place on June 12-14, will bring internationally renowned artists to Romania for the first time in a programme featuring Viennese operetta, the film music of Ennio Morricone and an exceptional piano recital.

The festival's artistic director is Catalan conductor David Gimenez Carreras.

'I am delighted to be with you again this year, together with foreign artists who, in most cases, are performing in Romania for the first time. I like this festival very much. I have started to get to know the Oradea audience and have managed to combine high quality with entertainment,' he said on Thursday at a press conference.

Concerts will be hosted by the Oradea State Philharmonic, Oradea Fortress and Regina Maria Theatre.

The opening concert, scheduled for Friday evening, will be dedicated to Viennese operetta and will bring together the Oradea State Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of David Gimenez Carreras, alongside Croatian-Slovenian soprano Martina Zadro and Polish tenor Rafal Bartminski.

Martina Zadro said she was grateful for the invitation to perform at the Sounds of Oradea Festival.

'I am very grateful to have been invited here and to have the opportunity to sing operetta exclusively, because opera is much more serious than operetta. I have had a career spanning more than 30 years and started singing when I was very young. I have been fortunate in life to perform continuously in concerts with numerous philharmonic orchestras and ensembles,' the artist said.

The second concert, hosted on Saturday at Oradea Fortress, will be dedicated to the music of legendary composer Ennio Morricone and will feature Italian flautist Andrea Griminelli, together with the orchestra and choir of the Oradea State Philharmonic under the direction of conductor Vladimir Lungu.

The festival will conclude on Sunday with a recital by Venezuelan pianist and composer Gabriela Montero, one of the most acclaimed personalities of contemporary classical music.

'I am very proud to present her here and very happy that she accepted our invitation. I believe no classical music lover should miss this opportunity. Gabriela is extraordinary,' David Gimenez Carreras said.

Now in its fifth edition, the Sounds of Oradea Festival is organised by Visit Oradea and Oradea City Hall in partnership with the Oradea State Philharmonic and Regina Maria Theatre. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Eugenia Pasca; EN - writing by: Simona Iacob)