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On Saturday, October 25, 2025, The Royal Charitable Concert, organized by the Margareta of Romania Royal Foundation at the Romanian Athenaeum, offered the audience a true celebration of opera at the 16th edition of this prestigious event. Funds exceeding €200,000 will support the next generation of Romanian artists through scholarships and a complex artistic development program within the National Young Talents Program, 2026 edition. One of the most highly regarded fundraising events in Romania once again confirmed its profound impact on the artistic community. The Royal Charitable Concert, held every year on the birthday of King Michael I of Romania, took place in the presence of Her Majesty Margareta, Custodian of the Crown, and His Royal Highness Prince Radu, joined by Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Aosta, HRH Princess Sofia, and HRH Princess Maria. Also attending were the Ambassador of France to Romania, the Apostolic Nuncio, and an audience of 800 guests, supporters and friends of the Royal Foundation from the cultural and business communities, the media, and lovers of classical music and Romanian art. “This evening is a time to thank all of you gathered under the Athenaeum dome, because the Young Talents project has, over nearly two decades, raised significant funds and given back mastery, knowledge, and art to Romanian youth from Romania and Bessarabia, who today bring glory to our country across the world. More than 400 young people have had the good fortune to meet you, to cross paths with your generosity. This brings us to the beautiful story of tenor George Vîrban, who will delight us tonight. We have known him since he was at the border between childhood and youth, and today he is among the musicians who have recently collaborated with the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. There are many others like him, and we are all here to make sure that what we started will not stop for many years to come,” said HRH Prince Radu in his opening speech at the Royal Charitable Concert. The event was not only a celebration of authentic values but also a promoter of the Foundation’s core principles: dignity, responsibility, and generosity. Having become a hallmark of Bucharest’s cultural autumn, the Royal Charitable Concert brought together artistic excellence and social solidarity in support of the Young Talents National Program, the most extensive and long-lasting project dedicated to helping young artists from underprivileged backgrounds. The audience was captivated by the vibrant performances of mezzo-soprano Ramona Zaharia and tenor George Vîrban, accompanied by the New Hope Orchestra under the baton of maestro David Crescenzi, and the Romanian National Choir, conducted by Daniel Jinga. The musical program, featuring famous arias from the operas of Verdi, Bizet, Tchaikovsky, and Gounod, was met with long-standing applause from the audience at the Athenaeum. In the Athenaeum Rotunda, guests admired the visual arts exhibition “The Passions and Pursuits of the Royal Family”, now in its fourth edition, created by the 2025 Young Talents visual arts scholars under the mentorship of Associate Professor Dr. Ion Anghel. Funds raised through donations and sponsorships will support young artists from low-income families through the Young Talents 2026 scholarships, providing financial aid, mentorship, and promotional opportunities. The program assists students aged 14 to 24 studying music and visual arts, giving them the chance to fulfill their artistic potential. Since its launch in 2009, Young Talents has been awarded 470 scholarships, investing in the growth of a new generation of artists. Many of the Foundation’s alumni are now recognized nationally and internationally, proving the tangible impact of this unique program in Romania. The national selection for the 2026 Young Talents scholarships will open in November 2025. For more information, visit www.frmr.ro.
