Principesa pianistã - Elena Bibescu
The pianist princess - Elena Bibescu

Summary/Abstract: One of the great ladies of the purely Romanian female aristocracy was the princess and pianist Elena Bibescu. She is very little known and present in our Romanian consciousness, although in her times she was the cultural ambassador of Romanian people in Europe; she lived during the period when art experienced one of its strongest flourishes and accomplishments: the famous “La Belle Epoque” period! Elena Bibescu played the role of her life as a European cultural ambassador, an "activity" carried out in her artistic salon where people from high society gathered, a salon in which friends were connected and philosophical, literary and musical ideas were shared. Elena Bibescu was also a remarkable pianist with a talent whose echo reached from Paris, London, Bucharest, Berlin and Vienna to the United States of America, where she accomplished successful concerts mentioned in the press of the time. Along with the role of pioneer of the career of George Enescu the one who became our great national composer, the name of Princess Bibescu is also related to a new concept in Bucharest, at the high, European level to which she brought the concert. Thus, at the recital she played under the patronage of royalty at the National Theater, in the presence of the royal couple, the Bősendorfer piano house in Vienna sent the first piano of that brand to be used on the Romanian stage. Princess Bibescu, through her innate generosity when asked, did not spare any effort to support those in need, but who also put a good word for young, talented musicians and eager to assert themselves; through acculturation she brought a new breeze in the Romanian musical culture.

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