Zilele Muzicii Vechi București (Bucharest Early Music Days), now in its third edition, takes place between 30 September and 4 October 2026, featuring six early music concerts on period instruments, masterclasses for young musicians, and a dialogue-meeting on the art of ornamentation, under the motto 'New people, old music'.
The festival opens on Wednesday, 30 September, at 19:30, at the Anglican Church, with I Tesori del Barocco Italiano, a concert by the ABARIS ensemble (Irina Nanushi, Matei Tudose, Melissa Chen, Sergio Flores) devoted to the Italian Baroque. On Thursday, 1 October, at 19:30, at the same venue, the Ineffabilis ensemble presents Draga mea Barbara, a concert-with-story about the love between the King of Poland and the noblewoman Barbara, featuring Emilė Ribokaitė, Vivianne Caragea and Christian Velasco Vázquez, narrated by Maria Petrescu.
On Saturday, 3 October, at 18:00, at Suțu Palace, Ineffabilis returns with L'Eco delle Voci Pure, an Italian Baroque programme performed by Emilė Ribokaitė, Vivianne Caragea, Marina Cabello del Castillo, Christian Velasco Vázquez and Sergio Flores. Tickets for these three concerts are available online at bilete.ro: www.bilete.ro/i-tesori-del-barocco-italiano-ansamblul-abaris, www.bilete.ro/draga-mea-barbara-ansamblul-ineffabilis and www.bilete.ro/leco-delle-voci-pure-ansamblul-ineffabilis.
On Friday, 2 October, from 10:00, at the National University of Music Bucharest, the series of masterclasses (open to the public) begins, given by Sergio Flores, Melissa Chen, Emilė Ribokaitė, Christian Velasco Vázquez, Marina Cabello del Castillo, Iulian Bereș, Maria Petrescu and Vivianne Caragea. Also on Friday, at 19:00, in the 'George Enescu' Hall of the same university, organist Iulian Bereș gives the concert Organum Europae Borealis, free admission.
On Sunday, 4 October, at MiMa Muzica, at 10:30 and 11:30, Baby Baroque offers two mini-concerts for babies and children aged 1-5, with Elena Cărăuș, David Soporan and Maria Petrescu. The festival closes on Sunday, 4 October, at 19:00, at the French Church 'Sacré Cœur', with a free concert given by the masterclass participants.
The festival is organised by the Asociația pentru Muzica Veche (Early Music Association), with the support of the Embassy of Switzerland in Romania through the Swiss Sponsors' Fund. More information at www.zilelemuziciivechibucuresti.com and on the Facebook page www.facebook.com/events/1018096091242189.
