All the fans of the previous Philharmonic picnics, especially those eagerly anticipating the performance of Disney’s famous Fantasia, will now have the opportunity to attend the biggest music picnic to date. It will bring together audiences of all generations at a massive free open-air concert taking place at Usce, in New Belgrade’s Block 13, starting at 8:30 PM.

This live-to-film concert will be the first time in our region that the licensed music and film spectacle of Disney’s production will be brought to life. The Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra has been granted the exclusive right to present and perform this sensational production—a high-quality projection that combines the original 1940 film Fantasia with Fantasia 2000, a masterpiece that has never been officially screened in our region.

Released to great acclaim in 1940, Walt Disney’s “Fantasia” was his boldest experiment at the time and culminated in the creative visionary’s desire to blend animated imagery with classical music.  The original film score was conducted by Leopold Stokowski with the Philadelphia Orchestra, recorded in stereophonic sound, which was still an experimental medium at the time. What had begun as a vehicle to develop Mickey Mouse’s career with an animation short titled “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” went on to become a genuine cinema classic.

Walt’s dream in 1941 was to turn “Fantasia” into an ongoing event with new segments.  This was finally realized in 1999 with “Fantasia 2000,” a spectacular follow-up spearheaded by Walt’s nephew, Roy E. Disney.  The music from “Fantasia 2000” was conducted by James Levine and performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Led by chief conductor Gabriel Feltz, the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra will perform Disney’s Fantasia at Usce (New Belgrade’s Block 13) on July 2, starting at 8:30 PM. This concert also marks the beginning of the centennial celebration of the Belgrade Philharmonic.

Prepare to be enthralled as scenes from each of the two iconic films will be projected in high resolution on a large screen above the orchestra. The Orchestra will enchant the audience with mesmerizing excerpts from Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony, Debussy’s Clair de Lune, Ponchielli’s Dance of the Hours, Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance, Respighi’s The Pines of Rome, Paul Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, and many other remarkable compositions.

The program lasts approximately 2 hours with a 10-minute intermission. The concert starts at 8:30 PM, and the gates for the picnic area open at 5:30 PM.