Belgrade Philharmonic Marks Centennial of Birth of Leonard Bernstein

The Belgrade Philharmonic is presenting the Serbian premiere of Leonard Bernstein’s Serenade, with renowned violinist Vadim Gluzman and Conductor Daniel Raiskin, at the Kolarac Concert Hall, on Friday, 1 June, at 8:00 p.m. With this concert the Belgrade Philharmonic is joining in the global celebration of the centennial of this great composer, who was also a major promoter of Mahler’s music, whose Fourth Symphony will close the concert program.

Bernstein, a renowned conductor, composer, pianist, and teacher, has been remembered as a truly global superstar of classical music. The popularity he achieved in the 1950s and 1960s rivals the popularity of the likes of Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe, especially after the huge success of his Broadway musicals. His Serenade will be performed by famous violinist Vadim Gluzman, playing on a legendary Stradivarius violin from 1690. This Israeli violinist performs regularly with the world’s leading orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the Boston Philharmonic, the Chicago Philharmonic, the Israel Philharmonic, the London Philharmonic, and this will be his second appearance with the Belgrade Philharmonic.

The second part of the concert is devoted to a composer that Bernstein admired hugely and whose complete symphonies he recorded. Even though he was born after Mahler’s death, the two of them are revered as twins in terms of their musical aesthetics. Daniel Raiskin, the Belgrade Philharmonic’s permanent guest conductor, leads the orchestra in the performance of Mahler’s Fourth Symphony, also joined by soprano Evgenija Jeremić. One hundred standing tickets will be on sale at the Kolarac Box Office at 7:00 p.m., one hour before the concert begins.