Tomescu after Paganini

Alexandru Tomescu's fourth Stradivarius tour brought the largest number of spectators in the concert halls, with recitals resumed at the request of audiences in Iasi and Bucharest, and with unprecedented media promotion.

These overfilled rooms were the constant between 5 and 29 May, in 14 cities in the countries, the 24 caprices by Paganini, accompanied by video projections were presented at Iasi (5 and 6 May), Onesti (7 May), Focsani (8 May), Bacau (10 May), Pitesti (12 May), Craiova (14 May), Timisoara (16 May), Bucharest (19 May and 5 June), Cluj-Napoca (21 May), Sibiu (May 23), Medias (25 May), Dumbrăveni (26 May), Targu Mures (27 May), and Baia Mare (29 May).

Those who have followed the evolution of the Stradivarius Tour idea from 2008 to the present and remember the assertion it all started with know that we witnessing an unshaded success story. "Over the five years I will be playing this violin, I will take it to as many Romanians as I can. They are the rightful owners of this instrument, as the Stradivarius is part of the national heritage."

foto: Quartz Media

Tens of cities visited, thousands of music lovers delighted, tens of thousands of kilometres ran... The route was a permanent ascent, where the public relations component was constantly taken into account, in a growing proportion.

The focus on the person and the personality of the violinist taking place this year by choosing as repertoire Paganini's complete caprices was a sacrifice from the artist, whose physical effort was much greater, as the difficulty of the score is notorious. Previous tours with works for piano and violin had offered him other opportunities to look into the expressiveness of the instrument (the artistic intensity of the recital in May, 2009, at the Romanian Athenaeum remains to me a landmark for Alexandru Tomescu's musical evolution). On the other hand, it was a treat in what the indulgence from the audience and the press is regarded, a treat which also gives energy to a musician who needs it greatly in his permanent struggle to survive at the standards he aims for, in a more and more performing and taboo-less artistic life.

foto: Quartz Media

Sold-out concerts, the success of the radio broadcasting live on the waves of Radio Romania Cultural, Radio Romania Music and online on www.radioromaniacultural.ro and www.romania-muzical.ro, that of the TVR Cultural broadcasting of June 5^th, have multiplied the impact of this event, and equally the growth of this enthusiasm of the music lovers on the event's website and on Facebook.

Alexandru Tomescu has increasingly shaped the profile of an undeniable star of classical music in Romania and is likely to keep this position. Everything depends, however, on a certain type of courage, namely on the way that he will continue to manage the opportunity, whether he does it in individual tours, or as a soloist of radio orchestras, in chamber music or on disk.

foto: Alexandru Dolea

Is it difficult being Alexandru Tomescu now, after Paganini? There can be two answers. One of them is: how can it be difficult, he has everything he wants, everyone considers him a star! The second is: harder than ever, because you feel all the eyes on you, which is a privilege, but also a huge artistic responsibility.