After his debut in January 1937, Enescu returned to Toronto four more times. Here’s the story of those later visits.

The renowned Romanian composer, conductor, and performer made his North American debut in January 1923 but didn’t visit Canada until his 1931-1932 tour, when he performed in Montreal.

Years later (in January 1937, read here more details) the Women’s Musical Club finally had him arrive to Toronto, and the locals loved it!

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February 1937

After leaving Toronto in early January 1937, Enescu continued his tour south of the border. However, the plan was for him to return to the shores of Lake Ontario a month later to conduct and perform with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

The February 1937 concert at Massey Hall likely marked the Toronto premiere of his renowned Romanian Rhapsody No. 1, which was first performed in 1903. The Globe and Mail praised the event, even noting the lovely gowns on display at Massey Hall.

1937 was a successful and joyful year for George Enescu. In December, he married the love of his life, Princess Maria (Maruca) Cantacuzino, with whom he had shared a bond for over 30 years. He was 56, and she was 58.

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April 1938

Diligent and dedicated, Enescu returned to Toronto’s Massey Hall, and this pre-concert article aptly highlights him not just as a master violinist, but also as a remarkable composer of the 20th century.

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February 1939

The war was still a few months off.

For the third consecutive year, George Enescu returns to Toronto as a conductor, composer, and violinist. This article also reveals the name of the French violin maker whose instrument Enescu used.

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December 1946

After four concerts over three consecutive years (1937, 1938, 1939), Enescu’s relationship with TSO’s Sir Ernest MacMillan was thriving. In September 1940, MacMillan expressed a desire to have Enescu as a guest conductor for the entire season. However, the Romanian had to decline, as the war prevented him from leaving Bucharest.

After this unsuccessful attempt, it would take another six bleak years for Enescu to return to Toronto. In the summer of 1946, the brilliant violinist Yehudi Menuhin—one of his former students—visited Enescu in Bucharest and persuaded him to leave communist Romania for good and move to the United States. On September 6, 1946, Enescu and his wife, Maruca, set sail from the port of Constanta, as he was known to avoid airplanes. Officially, he was to tour the United States, traveling on a diplomatic passport signed by the communist leader Petru Groza. Upon arriving in New York, Menuhin helped arrange the paperwork for his mentor’s refugee status.

Months later, Enescu and Maruca decided to leave the USA and settle in Paris instead. However, during their time in North America, he found the opportunity to return to Toronto, where he was still fondly remembered. To announce the concert, The Globe and Mail had to rely on a seven-year-old photo from his last visit.

It was Enescu’s fifth and final appearance in Toronto. He was 65 years old.

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May 1955

Enescu’s strong work ethic kept him busy in the following years, but in 1950, he suffered a stroke while conducting on stage in London. A second stroke in 1954 left him partially paralyzed. He passed away in early May 1955 in Paris and was buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery, near Hector Berlioz.

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September 2019

Seventy-three years after Enescu’s last visit to Toronto, a new tradition is set to begin in the city that cherished him: the George Enescu Festival. This event is a branch of the grand festival held every two years in his native Romania. The inaugural edition will feature four world-class events, including one in Montreal.

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