German project for new philharmonic to be adapted to Moldovan realities

The initiative to reconstruct the National Philharmonic building is a complex infrastructure project that requires significant financial resources, said Minister of Culture Cristian Jardan. The official noted that this is a priority for the Ministry of Culture, which is making efforts to advance the project, CE Report quotes MOLDPRES.

The minister stated that several solutions are being considered for the National Philharmonic, whose headquarters were destroyed by fire five years ago.

“A tragedy happened — the building no longer exists. It’s an infrastructure problem, a complicated one that requires a great deal of money. In the Economic Growth Plan, supported by the EU, we included the repair of the Philharmonic, but we are talking about large sums — we must be very careful about how we manage them, whether we restore, rebuild, or construct a new building from scratch, or adapt another structure. So, there are several options,” said the minister during the “În context” program on the public television channel.

Cristian Jardan recalled that a design competition had been held, which was won by a proposal from Germany, but the project needs to be adapted to Moldova’s realities.

“There was a competition, and a German project was declared the winner. It’s quite expensive and needs to be adjusted to Moldova’s context, since all details and costs were estimated using German prices — and of course, we have different costs here. It’s a very complex subject, and an exact timeline cannot be given. During my mandate, I have made it a priority to advance this project — not only for the Philharmonic. We also have another infrastructure project, the Chisinau Circus, which also needs rehabilitation,” the minister emphasized.

On September 24, 2020, a fire broke out in the building of the National Philharmonic in Chișinău, almost completely destroying the historic landmark. The blaze, which started during roof repair work, spread quickly and consumed the main hall, rehearsal rooms, and the institution’s library. More than 300,000 musical scores, including rare documents and valuable manuscripts, were lost.

The Philharmonic, inaugurated in 1940, was one of Moldova’s most important cultural institutions, hosting performances by the National Symphony Orchestra, the “Doina” Choral Ensemble, and other prestigious groups. The main hall, with a capacity of 1,000 seats, was considered a cornerstone of the country’s musical life.

After the fire, the Philharmonic’s artists and ensembles were relocated to the Palace of the Republic, where they continue to perform today.