Maestro Cristian Mandeal explained the reason why, at the end of the Symphonic Christmas Concert, he announced his indefinite retirement from the orchestra’s lectern, talking about an institutional atmosphere that had become “toxic”, about contracts signed “in pieces” and the chronic lack of communication.
“My main problem is the way I was treated by the management of the Philharmonic. I should have understood from the very beginning that the lady’s offer to take over the position of permanent conductor after the departure of Gabriel Bebeșelea, an offer inspired otherwise by the Orchestra, referred to a period limited to the time needed to find someone more suitable. In fact, I should have understood this from the moment I was hired with a one-year contract with the possibility of extension and not with a minimum 3-year contract, as is done almost everywhere. It became clearer to me when the annual extensions turned into monthly extensions. The official motivation was related to the fear of the applicability of that article 38, paragraph 10, of the Framework Law no. 153/2017 which provided for the impossibility of cumulating the pension with the salary starting from January 2026″. explained conductor Cristian Mandeal, in an interview given to Ziarul Făclia.
He detailed that “the lady manager also managed to convince the orchestra that if they didn’t hire someone else, they could lose the position of conductor, which is doubtful in terms of management positions”.
“In this way, and having already had someone else in my sights for some time, my contract was terminated on December 1 without waiting for the deadline of the end of the year. The fact was communicated to me from the offices, without a word from the lady. My Christmas concert on December 19 was therefore performed as a guest conductor. Meanwhile the feeling of having been treated all the time as a “bad weather cloak” deepened. learning on December 22 about the suspension of the above-mentioned article, therefore about the repeal of the above-mentioned ban, something easily predictable in the conditions of a Romania in a deep shortage of highly qualified personnel. Along with the suspension of the contract, two of the four concerts scheduled until the end of the season were taken from me and distributed to the newcomer, and this without being officially informed. I learned this from the orchestra notice board. (It would have been fun if I had already bought my plane ticket for January). Moreover, the program of the first of the two missing concerts, a program composed by me, was completely transferred to the newcomer without any embarrassment, and at the second one, the closing one of the season, Enescu’s 3rd Symphony was replaced, a true cultural event, with a series of Slavic and Hungarian dances by Dvorak and Brahms. It was known for a very long time, including by the Orchestra, for at least half a year, that I would be replaced regardless of the effect of the law. Under these conditions, I considered it inappropriate to continue my work at the Transilvania Philharmonic as long as this person is still in charge of the institution. The title of Conductor Emeritus, otherwise inspired by first concertmaster Ana Török and in no way desired by Mrs. Sbârciu, I accepted in writing before the orchestra and therefore I could not refuse it openly on stage”said the master.
He emphasized that one of the big problems in the Philharmonic is the lack of direct communication with the management.
“It is unusual for the Philharmonic’s principal conductor to relate only through offices. The lady manager does not answer the phone or text messages. The same thing happens even to Maestro Lawrence Foster or Maestro Vasile Jucan, partners of the Philharmonic as important as myself. An unhealthy, tense, unfriendly atmosphere is thus born from the start in a relationship that should be one of collaboration, trust and mutual respect. My statements can always be proven by resuming the official correspondence I had with the Philharmonic, spent exclusively between the offices and myself. A similar lack of transparency is practiced in the relationship with the Orchestra. Decisions are ambiguous, nothing precise is often known, rumors are at home, the orchestra has been divided into at least three factions, one part of it, only one part votes for the performance of the conductors, they talk in whispers, around the corners, with their eyes directed downwards, without telling things by name. The general atmosphere has become toxic”the master also said.
We remind you that on December 19, at the end of the concert ““Symphonic Christmas”Maestro Cristian Mandeal officially announced his retirement from the lectern of the Transilvania Philharmonic Orchestra for an indefinite period. The moment, marked by deep emotion, culminated in the awarding of the title of “Conductor Emeritus” to the master, as a sign of recognition for a golden collaboration that reached its peak on the big stages, including the Festival “George Enescu”.
