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photo: Marko Djokovic
This article was developed within the program Venture an Idea funded by the USAID.
Every Fall, classical music fans find themselves on their toes for what the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra has in store for the season ahead. For the 2022/23 spell, not only are their expectations met in full, but blown out of the water by the most ambitious BPO annual project in quite some time.
On the Right Track
Under the On the Right Track banner, the Orchestra is taking its audience on a worldwide tour with 25 concerts - each commemorating one famed city at a time. The usual suspects, such as Paris, Prague, Moscow, and Berlin, are all there, as are the more left-field choices like Tel Aviv, Havana, or Prague.
Each and every concert takes place inside the wondrously acoustic Kolarac Grand Concert Hall and is led by some of the world's finest soloists and conductors. We are already halfway into the project, and the next concert, hitting the baton on February 24th, is all about Rome.
Puccini's Tosca, from The Eternal City
Throughout its long and varied history, Rome has been hailed as the uncrowned capital of the world, the seat of an Empire, and most importantly, the occasional setting for the operas by Giacomo Puccini. Although most famous for his La bohème, Puccini's Tosca in three acts is a piece just as eventful, charming, and beguiling. Set in the eternal city against a backdrop of Napoleon's roving invasion of the old continent, the opera was premiered in Rome, too.
It's got it all - love, passion, torture, murder, intrigue; you name it! It's even got some of the leading soloists of their generation in Elisabeth Teige (Tosca, soprano), Mandla Mndebele (Baron Scarpia, baritone), and Eduardo Aladrén (Mario Cavaradossi, tenor) bringing the story to life. The entire plot unfolds in a period of 24 hours, masterfully conducted by the baton of Gabriel Feltz.
Beyond Rome
After the intriguing spell in Rome, the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra hits the road and brings the essence of other cities into the Kolarac Concert Hall. Shortly after staging Puccini, it takes a quick detour to Havana, the inspiration behind George Gershwin's Cuban Overture and Danzas Latinas.
The Orchestra then stays in South America for a brief stopover at Buenos Aires before they bring the spirits of New York, Istanbul, and finally Venice within the walls of the Kolarac.
Check out upcoming events: Rome and Havana.
This article is made possible by the support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents of this program are the responsibility of Nova Iskra and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.