«ENESCU, skinned alive» by Toma Enache

In Enescu, Skinned Alive, director Toma Enache tells the extraordinary and tumultuous journey of one of Romania’s greatest composers and violinists, George Enescu. The film explores his inner world, revealing not only his immense talent as a violinist and composer but also the intense personal battles he fought throughout his life. At the heart of the story is his passionate and often heartbreaking love affair with Princess Maruca Cantacuzino, a relationship that shaped the course of his music and his destiny.

Mircea Dragoman’s portrayal of Enescu is a striking blend of genius and vulnerability, capturing the essence of a man who, despite monumental success, is driven by an unwavering devotion to his art. His relationship with Maruca, portrayed with emotional depth by Theodora Sandu, is marked by deep love, betrayal, and sacrifice. The love story, set against the backdrop of Romania’s cultural history, becomes a metaphor for the human condition — an exploration of the power of love, the cost of genius, and the inevitable hand of fate.

Like the notes of a symphony, every moment of Enescu’s life is intertwined with nuances, pauses, and tones that go beyond the simple melody. Between one note and the next, in the silent and profound space between them — the interval, the unspoken chord — there is a vast range of hidden emotions and meanings that give his soul shape and substance. Just as a symphony is made not only of notes but also by the distance that separates them, Enescu’s existence is built between the shadows of his loves, his losses, and his endless quest for beauty and truth.

The film not only sheds light on Enescu’s personal and artistic struggles but also reflects on the universal theme of man’s strength in the face of destiny. Like many artists, Enescu must reconcile his visionary ambition with the limits imposed by the world around him. His quest to compose his magnum opus, Oedipe, becomes a symbol of the eternal tension between the human spirit’s desire to transcend and the forces that seek to constrain it.

With meticulously recreated period details and a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack, Enescu, Skinned Alive is a meditation on the resilience of the human soul, the sacrifices of the artist, and a must-watch for those who appreciate historical drama, classical music, and the timeless struggle for artistic and personal fulfillment.