Suffering orchestras (1): Romania

Musicians of the Sibiu State Philharmonic Orchestra have appealed to Slippedisc.com to highlight their plight.

Apparently, the orchestra manager thinks he’s a conductor and sacks anyone who refuses to follow his beat.

The musicians are protesting outside the town hall, demanding the manager’s dismissal.

‘Every morning, we have been standing in front of the county public authority that hired Lupes (Consiliul Județean Sibiu), demanding his dismissal. Unfortunately, the only response we have received thus far is complete censorship and disregard.’

UPDATE: The orchestra manager has sent us his CV, which we reproduce below:
CRISTIAN LUPEȘ, conductor and cultural manager, is known for his restless and ever renewing activity, as a musician and creator of cultural projects. His name is considered to be the 100% guarantee for extraordinary working on scores of contemporary music by Wener Schulze, composer, conducting professor of Kirill Petrenko, Professor Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien.
Born in Onești, Romania (1976), he first studies Physics and Chemistry at Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca and at Bucharest University. From 1999 he studies Orchestral Conducting at the National Music University in Bucharest. He continues his studies at Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien, and in 2010 he becomes Assistant Conductor to Jonathan Nott at Bamberger Symphonikern Staatsphilharmonie. He will have the same role at: Tonhalle Zurich, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Rundfunk Berlin, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, while assisting conductors such as Cristian Mandeal, Alexandre Myrat, Seiji Ozawa, Zubin Mehta, David Zinman, Bernard Haitink, Mariss Jansons, Andris Nelsons, Vladimir Jurowski, Herbert Blomstedt. In 2012 he will get his PhD in Music, with his Thesis The Scientific Parameters of Orchestral Interpretation.
Cristian Lupeș always knew he would be a conductor. He grew up listenting to contemporary music and to the birds singing along Enescu’s music in Tescani. These moments are the keystones to his artistic activity: the attachment to Romanian music, especially that of George Enescu and the attraction towards the bravery, innovation and revolutionary spirit of contemporary music. In his activity, he always chooses to promote the modern and contemporary Romanian values, as he believes, just like Enescu has, in the importance of music for a healthy cultural life. With ability and confidence, he showcases to the public music that is rarely played on Romanian stages, only to find enthusiasm and joy in return.
Cristian Lupeș is the artistic director of Romania’s first contemporary music festival – Contemporary Music Days, founded by his professor, composer Liviu Danceanu while also being the founder of the youngest similar festival – Brave New Music.
His perseverence and his natural passion for music bring him a debut in a Season concert whilst being a student. He is a constant presence in George Enescu International Festival where he conducted various orchestras. His recordings of modern and contemporary music are considered referencial, thus being sent as a reference to the orchestras that take part in the Enescu Festival.
Cristian Lupeș works with orchestras from Romania and international orchestras, most recent being Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra Sinfonica di Sanremo, Sinfonica Abruzzese, Grosetto and Cosenza. He collaborates with artists such as : Elisabeth Leonskaja, Michael Barenboim, Arabella Steinbacher, Julien Libeer, Francesco Tristano, Vassilis Varvaressos, Constantin Basica and others.
In 2019, Cristian Lupeș becomes the manager of Sibiu State Philharmonic and his vision improves the institution in a way no one would think possible. This effort is recongnised by a Medal of Honour in High Rank for Culture, awarded by H.E.. Klaus Iohannis, President of Romania, in January 2021. He was also awarded the Brincoveanu Prize by the Romanian Minstry of Culture, in 2020 and the Thought in Romania Prize for Music in the World in 2023.