On Friday night, February 28, the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of conductor Jaume Santonja, will perform alongside renowned cellist Jan Vogler (Kolarac, 8 PM). The evening’s program will feature the Serbian premiere of a piece by, a brilliant internationally acclaimed composer Milica Đorđević, alongside classical masterpieces by Dvořák and Strauss.

A part of its ongoing commitment to premiering works by innovative Serbian composers, the Belgrade Philharmonic now shines a spotlight on Milica Đorđević, whose name has already gained recognition and acclaim on the highest levels of the international music scene. With great enthusiasm, the orchestra will perform her composition Little Firefly, Fiercely Illuminated and Terrified by Unbearable Beauty, originally commissioned and premiered by the Berlin Philharmonic under the direction of Gustavo Dudamel.

For Đorđević, a recipient of numerous prestigious awards in the classical music world, light holds a deep symbolic meaning. Her fascination with fireflies, which began in childhood, extends beyond natural wonder into metaphor:

The image of a tiny little firefly – frightened, trapped in a jar, glowing and trembling – carries a fairytale-like, extra-musical narrative filled with the dreamlike atmosphere of childhood and boundless imagination. At the same time, the Belgrade Philharmonic, an extraordinary orchestra, played a defining role in my upbringing. Among its musicians are my former neighbors, classmates, and college friends – the fact that makes this performance especially meaningful and is bringing me immense joy, Đorđević shared ahead of her Belgrade premiere.

The evening will open with a performance by Jan Vogler, a distinguished cellist known for his collaborations with world-renowned conductors and orchestras. Beyond his solo engagements, Vogler is known for his ability to merge music with other art forms – perhaps most famously in his acclaimed project Bill Murray, Jan Vogler & Friends – New Worlds, which blends music and literature. In Belgrade, Jan Vogler will perform one of the most iconic masterpieces of classical repertoire: Antonín Dvořák’s Cello Concerto.

The philharmonic concert will conclude with Richard Strauss’ suite Der Rosenkavalier, conducted by Spanish maestro Jaume Santonja, who is already a familiar name to the Philharmonic’s audience from earlier seasons. A limited number of tickets are still available at the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra’s box office as well as online.