CARMINA BURANA
July 17, 2026, 8:00 PM
HERASTRAU SUMMER GARDEN
– the most famous sung opera in the world, for the first time outdoors in Bucharest, on July 17, 2026 at the Herăstrău Summer Garden
Carmina Burana – the most famous cantata ever written – also known as the work that traditionally closes and opens the philharmonic seasons around the world, will be staged for the first time outdoors in Bucharest at the Herăstrău Summer Garden on July 17, 2026. The event brings to the fore an elite interpretative formula that will include as soloists: tenor ŞTEFAN VON KORCH, soprano OANA MARIA ŞERBAN and baritone FANG SHUANG.
For genre lovers, the concert means the joy of hearing the most famous symphonic vocal creation in the world, long awaited and acclaimed everywhere, but also an opportunity to meet the soloist whose voice is often considered unmistakable for this work: the show brings to the fore tenor Ştefan von Korch, who will perform the specific score for his voice from "Carmina Burana" for the audience in Herăstrău Garden after over 40 appearances in this role on the stages of national philharmonics and a brilliant debut in Palermo, praised in the press in Italy and Romania alike.
https://youtu.be/dr4M3Cq66H8?feature=shared
Currently, Ştefan von Korch is one of the most sought-after soloists for the tenor line in Carmina Burana, and about the sequence which is often considered "his signature score" he says: "the musical line that falls to me in Carmina Burana is particularly high and intense, at the limit of the human voice's capacity, in fact written for a countertenor voice, but which I choose to sing with a full voice. The entire work is particularly challenging, both vocally and instrumentally, and I invite you to experience it and discover its turmoil together." Alongside Ştefan von Korch will be soprano Oana Maria Şerban, the soloist who had the honor of singing in the Gardens of Versailles at the opening of the 2024 Olympic Games and who in 2025 was "Elle" – the only character in "The Beautiful Indifferent" and "The Human Voice," on the stage of the National Operetta and Musical Theater "Ion Dacian," interpreted the character Miss Honey in "Matilda," the musical of the Comic Opera for Children awarded at the UNITER Gala and debuted in the role of Rosina from "The Barber of Seville" by Rossini, a production of the National Opera of Bucharest. About her presence on the premiere stage in the open air of the Carmina Burana show, she says: "it is a position that makes me very happy, I have wanted for a long time to debut in this emblematic work for the symbolic vocal repertoire and I hope you will be close to me in this moment full of emotion, on July 17, 2026 at the Herăstrău Summer Garden." The solo formula will be completed by Fang Shuang, the baritone of the Comic Opera for Children, who elevates to the level of art landmark creations from the local repertoire, from romances to immortal hits, and who now puts his artistic versatility in the service of the superb "Carmina Burana," a work in which Carl Orff offers the baritone numerous moments of interpretative vocal mastery.
Tenor Ştefan von Korch, the coordinator of the Musical Extravaganza season, of which the concert is a part, concludes: " On July 17, 2026, we invite you to a special concert: "Carmina Burana," a significant work in my artistic journey, and the first work presented in its entirety within the Musical Extravaganza concerts; the solo formula is unprecedented, and the outdoor staging crowns the novelties that define this concert."
The famous Carmina Burana by Carl Orff will take the audience on its uplifting chords, along an intense journey of 25 musical numbers, which begin and end circularly with the famous prologue "O, Fortuna," one of the most recognizable themes of the classical repertoire.
https://youtu.be/Ia6ZBd4ehmU?feature=shared
In a presentation format of excellence, the show will be a feast of classical music, premiered outdoors. In addition to the high-caliber soloists, the production will be completed by a top choir and instrumentalists, and the musical direction will be entrusted to a master conductor who will consolidate the event's standard. The entire musical celebration will culminate in a dazzling production of the most well-known vocal-symphonic work of all time.
The symphonic vocal concert "Carmina Burana" is part of the Musical Extravaganza season, which brings landmarks of lyrical art closer to the public, under the artistic guidance of tenor Ştefan von Korch and is the first complete work presented under this aegis.
About the protagonists
** Ştefan von Korch – Tenor **
With an exponential evolution, national and international, Ştefan von Korch began the year on the stage of the Transylvania State Philharmonic, in Carmina Burana, his "signature" work, continues at the Iași National Opera in the role of Camille de Jolidon from "The Merry Widow 2.0" directed by Andrei Şerban, but also in the series of concerts Musical Extravaganza, for which he is the host soloist and artistic coordinator.
Ștefan von Korch concluded 2024 with notable appearances at the Ion Dacian National Operetta and Musical Theatre, at the Sala Palatului and at the Philharmonic Orchestras of Târgu-Mureș and Timișoara, and during the summer he debuted in Carmina Burana at the Palermo Clasica Festival and in a grand concert performance in Spain. Also during the past year he performed on the stage of the Târgu-Mureș Philharmonic the vocal-symphonic work Stabat Mater by G. Rossini, considered a demonstration of virtuosity for any tenor, and the work Lobgesang by F. Mendelssohn, he was invited to the Opera in Iași, in the bubbly role of Camille de Jolidon, from The Merry Widow 2.0 directed by Andrei Șerban and at the Romanian Opera in Timișoara in the staging of The Merry Widow signed by Mario Di Carlo.
In 2023, the tenor made the hearts of the spectators vibrate with masterful interpretations of the score specific to his voice from Carmina Burana, for which he is considered a benchmark and was the only Romanian soloist in a tour of 27 cities in China. Other highlights of his career include leading roles in operas and operettas presented on the biggest stages in Romania: "The Barber of Seville", "The Elixir of Love" and "Falstaff" (Bucharest National Opera), "Rigoletto," "Don Pasquale," "The Merry Widow" and "The Merry Widow 2.0" (Iași National Opera), "I Puritani" (national premiere) "Rigoletto" and "The Barber of Seville" (Cluj-Napoca Romanian Opera) and others.
**Oana-Maria Șerban – soprano **
With a charming presence and particular interpretative versatility, this year soprano Oana Maria Șerban was "Elle" - the only character in "The Beautiful Indifferent" and "The Human Voice," on the stage of the "Ion Dacian" National Operetta and Musical Theatre, she played the character Miss Honey in "Matilda," the musical of the Comic Opera for Children awarded at the UNITER Gala and will debut in the role of Rosina from "The Barber of Seville" by Rossini, a production of the Bucharest National Opera.
The talented coloratura soprano sang in the Gardens of the Palace of Versailles, on the occasion of the opening of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, performed at the Musikverein in Vienna in the role of Dochița from the Operetta "Crai nou" (New Moon), alongside the National Opera of Bucharest and debuted at the National Opera of Bucharest in 2023 in the roles of Olympia from the opera The Tales of Hoffmann, by J. Offenbach, Gilda from the opera Rigoletto by Giuseppe Verdi, and most recently Susanna, from the opera The Marriage of Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. She is the favorite heroine of the little ones in memorable roles on the stage of the Comic Opera for children, where she was, among others, Rosina from the opera The Barber of Seville, Clorinda from the opera Cinderella, both by Gioachino Rossini, Norina from the opera Don Pasquale and Adina, from the opera The Elixir of Love, by Gaetano Donizetti.
**Fang Shung – (Baritone)**
Fang Shuang became a true "darling of the public" after being a finalist in the Românii au talent competition in 2017, where he obtained a Golden Buzz with the song "Copacul," and delighted with "De-ai fi tu salcie la mal" and "Of, inimioară!," revealing his passion for old Romanian music.
His career on the lyrical stage, however, began much earlier, as early as 2013, when he became a soloist of the Comic Opera for Children, where he performed: Malatesta from "Don Pasquale," Peter (Father) from "Hansel & Gretel," the Director from "Mam'zelle Nitouche" (Hapciu in Re Major), Pappacoda from "A Night in Venice," Papageno from "Die Zauberflote" (The Magic Flute), Hook from "Peter Pan" and Pimpinone from "Pimpinone"
He is a graduate of the National University of Music in Bucharest, in the class of Mr. Ionel Voineag and Mrs. Andreiana Geamănă-Roșca for vocal accompaniment and a master's degree in classical singing, but his great passion remains romances.
About the season Musical Extravaganza
The concerts aim to offer the public the joy of meeting representative names of the lyrical scene, in a more intimate setting, which offers a different perspective on the artistic act compared to that of the imposing opera stage, but also to bring the classical genre closer to audiences of all ages. Spectators are invited to admire their favorite soloists in a select atmosphere, complemented by a chamber accompaniment, which highlights the performers in a warm and personal light.
The first Musical Extravaganza season, conducted under the artistic guidance of tenor Ştefan von Korch, included over 10 successful concerts, in which the public was delighted, together with the host soloist: soprano Cristina Maria Oltean, soprano Daniela Bucşan, tenor Alin Stoica, baritones Adrian Mărcan, Lucian Petrean and Fang Shuang, pianist Alexandru Burcă, accordionist Emy Drăgoi, pianist Bogdana Cocîrlea, MH Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Ion Dacian National Operetta and Musical Theatre – in salon format.
