The Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra is celebrating its 100th birthday on June 13, 2023, and the grand jubilee will be celebrated throughout the entire year. The festivities kick off with a special birthday concert at the Kolarac Hall, conducted by Uros Lajovic (June 13, Kolarac). This will be followed by a grand gala concert featuring the legendary Zubin Mehta (June 20, Kolarac). The highlight of the birthday celebrations will be the live performance of Disney’s Fantasia on July 2, at a magnificent and free-entry open-air concert at Usce.

What unites the group of enthusiasts who founded this orchestra back in 1923, led by Stevan Hristic, and today’s generation of Philharmonic musicians, is their unwavering enthusiasm and the shared desire for the Belgrade Philharmonic’s name to shine for many more centuries, as encapsulated in the Philharmonic’s jubilee slogan: FOREVER.

From its humble beginnings to becoming a world-class ensemble and the most successful cultural institution in the country and the region, the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra enters its second century with the commitment to further elevate its excellence, preserve its distinctive character and maintain its unique charm, just one step away from its new home, the Belgrade Philharmonic Hall, which is under construction thanks to the vision, dedication, and professional aspiration of Ivan Tasovac.

Over the course of its one hundred years, the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra has been home to 620 musicians who dedicated their entire careers to the orchestra, as the archives data continuously kept since 1951 show. The Orchestra has gone through various stages throughout history but, alongside the present generation of the Philharmonic musicians, it has reached remarkable heights, firmly establishing its place in the elite world orchestras. The Belgrade Philharmonic is an integral part of society with doors wide-open that welcome all. It strives to challenge preconceptions, build cultural bridges, nurture old friendships and foster new ones. The Belgrade Philharmonic aims to bring people closer together and promote its values through the power of artistic creation. It has transcended all age barriers of the audience, attracting even babies as the youngest audience members to come to the Belgrade Philharmonic. It has long since stepped out onto the streets, enriching and entertaining, but also criticising beyond concert halls. Renowned for its bold moves and innovative endeavours, it has become a Serbian love brand. The orchestra’s concerts are consistently sold out, with enthusiasts waiting in long queues for hours to get their tickets, while the open-air concerts of the Belgrade Philharmonic stand as the largest classical music events in the Balkans.