In addition to exploring the hitherto unknown treasures of Hungarian folk music, as a composer and folklorist Béla Bartók (1881-1945) worked tirelessly to collect and study the folk music of the surrounding peoples. He looked for ancient, old-style melodies: those that were the most typical of different ethnicities. He found these in peasant communities where, in the early 20th century, people still led a traditional form of life. He also examined how neighboring communities influenced each other's folk music. From 1909 to 1918 he collected nearly 3500 Romanian instrumental and vocal melodies.

Mădălina Pavăl grew up in the Bucovina region of Romania. Since early years she began collecting and singing traditional Romanian music. Throughout her many travels around the country she got to gather the old roots of local folklore - rural rituals, connection to nature, the solitude and celebration of love, old curses and spiritual healing - all and each vividly exposed in the art of singing…

Superstar Angela Gheorghiu, the most glamorous and gifted opera singer of our time, was born in the small Romanian town Adjud. From early childhood it was obvious that she will become a singer, her destiny was the music. She attended the Music School in Bucharest and graduated the National University of Music Bucharest, where she studied with the remarkable music teacher Mia Barbu. Ms. Gheorghiu’s magnificent voice and dazzling stage presence have established her as a unique international opera superstar.

Angela Gheorghiu returns to Decca to celebrate the 25th anniversary of her legendary La Traviata with Sir Georg Solti