Road to Freedom – Romania Universalis featuring Diana Jipa and Ștefan Doniga marks the first time artists have toured six continents in 30 days.
H.E. Ms Monica Sitaru, Ambassador of Romania to South Africa, welcomed members of the diplomatic corps and distinguished guests to the event held at the AfriForum Theatre in Pretoria on 12 September 2024.
Violinist Diana Jipa and pianist Ștefan Doniga brought to South Africa a unique tour in the history of Romanian music: The Road to Freedom. This concert is part of a series of six events taking place across six continents.
Accomplished by two of Romania’s most dynamic musicians, Diana Jipa and Ștefan Doniga, this extraordinary “tour de force” includes concerts in Brussels, Cebu, Auckland, New York, and Lima, running from 7 September to 1 October 2024. The tour aims to promote Romanian cultural heritage on the global stage by performing works of renowned Romanian composers or those closely linked to Romanian music, such as George Enescu, Béla Bartók, Dinu Lipatti, and Dan Dediu.
Diana Jipa and Ștefan Doniga are the first Romanian musicians in history to perform on all six inhabited continents in a single tour. The Road to Freedom is a symbolic journey through art, celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Romanian Revolution. The tour reflects the artists’ dedication to sharing a message of unity, peace, and respect for cultural diversity in a world fraught with conflict. The ten composers chosen for the project’s repertoire, influenced by German, Hungarian, Aromanian, Italian, and Jewish cultures, embody these values, weaving them into the rich tapestry of Romanian cultural heritage. Each work demonstrates how music can forge historical connections between nations and cultures.
“We wanted to create a project that unites several of our shared passions: Romanian music, the desire to travel as far as possible, to explore new musical territories, and the joy of an intense work schedule. Last year, Ștefan Doniga and I experienced what it’s like to embark on a musical world tour, and since we only reached four continents, we vowed to go further. This year, we will circle the Earth again in a single journey, and this is just the beginning of an even more ambitious endeavour, which we will share in the coming months. So, while Romanian athletes take on bold challenges at the Olympic Games, Romanian musicians are doing the same. We see the Road to Freedom as a kind of musical Olympics, from which we hope to return home with a record of our own!” – Diana Jipa, violinist.
These two talented performers have focused on promoting Romanian musical compositions, giving over 500 concerts and recitals in more than 30 countries on all six inhabited continents. They have also produced 11 feature-length cultural documentary films, broadcast by Romanian Public TV.
Ștefan Doniga began his musical training at the age of seven, while Diana Jipa made her debut as a soloist with a philharmonic orchestra at just 10 years old. Together, they embody the diversity and universal appeal of Romanian culture, rooted in one of humanity’s fundamental ideals: freedom.
by Marion Kate
