December 2026 · Bucharest
Carols and Christmas concerts in Bucharest, 2026
In Bucharest, Christmas sounds like colinde: the old Romanian carols sung from door to door and, in December, from the city’s stages. Alongside them, the little Anglican Church of the Resurrection keeps the English tradition of Nine Lessons and Carols. Here is what we could confirm for December 2026 on the venues’ own pages on 12 November 2026.
Updated October 2026
Nine Lessons and Carols at the Anglican Church
The Anglican Church of the Resurrection, at Strada Alexandru D. Xenopol 2, holds its Service of Nine Lessons and Carols on Tuesday 15 December 2026 at 7pm: readings and carols in English. No tickets are needed, and the church says all are welcome.
Three days earlier, on Saturday 12 December at 7pm, the church’s Arts at the Anglican series presents A Broadway Jazz Christmas with the Cristina Radu Ensemble and the young performers of Duetto Musical Class. Seating is limited; tickets are 220 lei (200 lei early bird until 15 November), sold through iabilet.
Our advice: the church is small and the service is open to all, so arrive early for a seat.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAnglican Church Bucharest: Nine Lessons and Carols Anglican Church Bucharest: A Broadway Jazz Christmas
Romanian carols and Christmas concerts at the National Opera
On Monday 7 December at 7pm, the Romanian National Opera hosts Marcel Pavel’s Christmas gala, Steaua de la răsărit, with his three children and guests including Monica Anghel and Sanda Ladoși. The programme mixes authentic Romanian colinde with Christian music, gospel, classical and pop-opera, with the Tronos psaltic group, the Opera’s orchestra and the Romanian National Choir.
Two more Christmas evenings follow at 7pm: Damian Drăghici’s Darul Crăciunului (The Gift of Christmas) on Monday 14 December, and on Tuesday 15 December Alifantis and FragileBand’s Poveste de Iarnă (A Winter’s Tale), a storytelling concert ranging from fado to rock, with poetry in Romanian, Aromanian, Greek and Portuguese.
Our advice: these are Romanian-language evenings, but the colinde need no translation; the Pavel gala is the one to choose if you want to hear them sung in full.
Romanian National Opera: Concert Extraordinar de Crăciun Romanian National Opera: Darul Crăciunului Romanian National Opera: Poveste de Iarnă
The Nutcracker
Oleg Danovski’s staging of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker is the National Opera’s Christmas ballet, in two acts of about two hours with one interval. In December 2026 it plays on the 10th, 12th, 13th, 16th, 19th (an 11am matinee), 20th, 27th and 29th, at 6.30pm.
Our advice: the morning performance on Saturday 19 December is the one for children.
Romanian National Opera: The Nutcracker
Carols over Christmas lunch, and what is still to come
On Christmas Day, the InterContinental Athénée Palace’s La Grande Fête de Noël fills Le Diplomate Ballroom from 1pm to 5pm with a festive brunch, live music by Viorica Pintilie and a carol programme (800 lei per adult, 400 lei for children 6–12). On Christmas Eve, JORJ serves a four-course dinner at 7pm (380 lei).
When we checked, the Patriarchal Cathedral, St Joseph’s Catholic Cathedral and the George Enescu Philharmonic had not published their Christmas 2026 services or concerts in a form we could confirm; we will add them as they appear.
Our advice: see our Christmas in Bucharest page for the city’s markets and lights, and pair a carol evening with a walk along Calea Victoriei.
InterContinental Athénée Palace: Festive Season 2026 Christmas in Bucharest
Questions and answers
Is there an English carol service in Bucharest in 2026?
Yes. The Anglican Church of the Resurrection, Strada Alexandru D. Xenopol 2, holds its Service of Nine Lessons and Carols on Tuesday 15 December 2026 at 7pm. No tickets are needed and all are welcome.
Where can I hear Romanian colinde in Bucharest at Christmas 2026?
At the Romanian National Opera, Marcel Pavel’s Christmas gala on Monday 7 December 2026 at 7pm includes authentic Romanian colinde, with the Romanian National Choir and the Opera’s orchestra. The Athénée Palace’s Christmas Day brunch also includes a carol programme.
When is The Nutcracker in Bucharest in December 2026?
The Romanian National Opera performs The Nutcracker on 10, 12, 13, 16, 19 (11am), 20, 27 and 29 December 2026, at 6.30pm unless stated.
Every event from the venue’s own page (anglicanbucharest.org, operanb.ro, atheneepalace.intercontinental.com), checked 12 November 2026. Prices are as each venue prints them. Check before you go.