The Bucharest National Opera Orchestra, conducted by Daniel Jinga, held a concert on Sunday on the open-air stage of Villa Rufolo, during the 74th edition of the Ravello International Festival, on which occasion it was decorated with the Medal of the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Republic.

'Before the concert, conductor Daniel Jinga, general manager of the Bucharest National Opera House, received on the stage of Villa Rufolo the Medal of the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Republic, a distinction awarded to the orchestra of the Bucharest National Opera House (ONB). The medal was handed to him by Federico Mollicone, chairman of the Culture Committee of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, to the applause of the audience, in recognition of the contribution of the orchestra he leads to the development of bilateral relations within the Romania-Italy Cultural Year,' the ONB reported on Monday.

The soloist of the evening, violinist Alexandru Tomescu, performed Concerto no. 2 for violin in B minor, 'La Campanella' by Niccolo Paganini, on an Elder-Voicu Stradivarius violin. The schedule also included Romanian Rhapsody no. 2 by George Enescu and the 'Swan Lake' Suite by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

'These events that, throughout this year, were and will be organised in the two countries, to the delight of the public, make us know each other even better. The bond between the two cultures is an indissoluble one and is very old. The connection between people is very important. I believe that these opportunities for cultural exchanges are as many opportunities so that, in addition to the centuries-old meetings between the two cultures, there is also the meeting of people, of artists with each other, of artists with consumers, of the spectator with the creative artist, regardless of what field, and, in general, of man with person,' said the acting Minister of Culture Andras Istvan Demeter.

The long-term importance of this cultural year was also underlined by the Romanian ambassador to Italy, Gabriela Dancau.

'This concert has a strong symbolic value to me. It concludes an extraordinary journey in which the Romanian Embassy in Italy has organised over 50 cultural events in the most emblematic places of Italy, bringing Romanian heritage, artists and creativity to the forefront. I look with great pride at this journey we have travelled together. It is a great satisfaction to see that through culture we have managed to bring people, institutions and communities closer together and strengthen the friendship between our countries,' said Dancau.

Daniel Jinga underlined the significance of the presence of the Romanian orchestra on one of Europe's leading music scenes.

'The message we send with this concert is the message of a Romania adapted from a cultural and musical point of view. A normal, competent, competitive Romania. A Romania with a good musical tradition, with a good musical school at all levels and which, behold, finds its place on an important stage of the world, alongside great musicians', said Jinga.

The concert on July 12, 2026 at the Ravello Festival concludes the first semester of the Romania-Italy Cultural Year, opened on December 1, 2025, with a gala concert at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, also staged by the Bucharest National Opera Orchestra and which continued over 50 events throughout Italy.

The playbill was designed and promoted by the Romanian Embassy in Italy, with support from Romania's Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under the High Patronage of the President of Romania, Nicusor Dan, and the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella. AGERPRES (RO - editing by: Daniel Popescu; EN - writing by: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu)