Sighet Memorial Hosts Third Annual Classic Unlimited Concert





For the third year in a row the former communist political prison Sighet, now housing the Memorial to the Victims of Communism and to the Resistance, was transformed for an evening into a concert hall. After 2022 and 2023 when these concerts were a huge success among local public, on the 20th of October the Sighet Memorial hosted once again one of the concerts of the Classic Unlimited concert tour.
Initiated by Bogdan Vaida in 2015 in Germany under the name Klassik Mittendrin (which means “classical music in our midst”), the project started with a classical piano concert in a motorcycle workshop. Over 30 concerts followed in bookstores, company headquarters, workshops, factories, wastewater treatment plants, veterinary practices, and other places in Germany and Switzerland where everyday life takes place. In 2017, the project also arrived in Romania, where it was received exceptionally well, as the open and unconventional format of the concerts succeeded in attracting more and more people to classical music.
The former cellblock with its unique atmosphere and special acoustics combined with the exceptional piano playing by Bogdan Vaida offer the participants an unforgettable experience, which is a little different every year due to the changing repertoire, so this is why many of this year participants are recurring guests.
This year’s repertoire included masterpieces by composers such as J.S. Bach, J. Ph. Rameau, Fr. Liszt, J. Sibelius, and Cl. Debussy, alongside works by celebrated Romanian composers like George Enescu and contemporary artists Ciprian Gabriel Pop and Anamaria Meza.
With nearly 150 attendees, the concert was a resounding success, captivating both newcomers and returning guests alike.
The collaboration with Classic Unlimited has breathed new life into the Sighet Memorial, all while honoring the memory of those who suffered under communism. As this initiative expands, it showcases the transformative power of music to unite, heal, and provoke reflection in a place that carries stories of resilience and resistance.
Sighet Memorial was awarded the European Heritage Label in 2017.