May 18, 2019
The XX Edition of Romania Day on Broadway has passed as a huge success! The festival took place on Saturday, May 18, 2019 and featured one of the most memorable and varied performance programs to date while welcoming a record number of participants.
More than a dozen renowned artists participated including Mirel Manea & Orchestra, George Rotaru, Maria Loga, Brandusa Covalciuc, Iuliana Roata, Valeria Arnautu, Banatul Ensemble. The stage was graced by special ballet performances by the Romanian Opera Ballet Studio, impressive ethnic Aromanian dances by the Pilisterlu Ensemble set to traditional Aromanian wedding songs by Stelian Arau, a classical Romanian jazz routine by NY’s native Luc Moutin Jazz trio, unique baladi by the talented Natalia, as seen on “Romanii au talent,” as well as many other original productions.
The official opening remarks and well wishes for the festival were made by one of the festival’s most faithful patrons, H.E. Ambassador Ion Jinga, followed by a formidable act by the JROTC Cadet Regiment, and a special appearance from Adrian Zuckerman, the next US ambassador nominee to Romania. A noteworthy spiritual moment by the Romanian Churches of New York succeeded the opening, after which a few inspiring messages were read from the offices of H.E. Timothy Cardinal Dolan and N.Y. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand.
The festival welcomed a record number of Romanians and Americans from all over the US, and tourists from over 100 different countries. All told, more than 27,000 participants took part in the festival, making this year’s 20th anniversary edition of the Romania Day Festival on Broadway a resounding success.