Sneak preview – Uros Lajovic conducts the BPO birthday concert.

Anticipated excitement surrounded the birthday concert of the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra, scheduled for June 13 at Kolarac Hall. A lengthy queue formed in the early morning hours, and complimentary tickets were issued in less than 60 minutes.

The Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra is celebrating a century of its existence, with a plan to proudly commemorate this milestone throughout the year, from their 100th birthday on June 13, 2023, until June 2024. A hundred candles on its historic cake will be blown at a special birthday concert, which the BPO is gifting to its devoted audience. The concert will feature performances by the Philharmonic Orchestra, along with esteemed friends and special guests, under the baton of Uros Lajovic, a longtime collaborator and former chief conductor.

Maestro Lajovic has led the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra on an impressive 110 occasions, establishing himself as one of the orchestra’s most significant collaborators. From 2001 to 2005, he served as the chief conductor of the BPO, facing the challenging task of reestablishing the orchestra’s quality and setting new standards that continue to distinguish the Belgrade Philharmonic today. Throughout his forty-year career, he has conducted over 1,400 concerts, conducted more than 90 different symphony orchestras and ensembles, and worked alongside over 900 soloists. His repertoire encompasses a wide range of symphonic and operatic works.

The birthday concert opens the Philharmonic’s year-long celebration, with the central jubilee event being a Gala concert on June 20, at Kolarac Hall, featuring the esteemed maestro, Zubin Mehta. The pinnacle of the centennial celebration will be a free outdoor concert on July 2, 2023, at Usce, where the famous Disney’s Fantasia will be performed live, with chief conductor Gabriel Feltz.