On Friday, November 7, the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra is presenting a program that unmistakably bears the artistic signature of its late Chief Conductor, Gabriel Feltz (Kolarac Hall, 8 p.m.). The orchestra will be led by Carlos Miguel Prieto, with soprano Sarah Traubel performing as soloist in works by Berg, Strauss, and Mahler.

Alban Berg’s Seven Early Songs, Richard Strauss’s Four Last Songs, and Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 form a stylistically unified program of late Romantic masterpieces featuring voice – a repertoire particularly close to late Gabriel Feltz’s heart. Mahler’s oeuvre was a defining hallmark of the recently deceased Chief Conductor, who had embarked on a journey with the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra to perform all of Mahler’s symphonies. The symbolism of Symphony No. 4 will carry a deeply emotional resonance this Friday, as it depicts a vision of an afterlife.

Feltz was fascinated by Mahler’s heavenly blue, the color that dominates the entire symphony. Reflecting on its final movement, he once wrote: And so, we arrive in the child’s world, freed from all the burdens of life, bathed in the brightest heavenly blue, as noted in the CD release of all Mahler symphonies he recorded with the Dortmund and Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra.

Mahler himself believed that only a child can truly understand and explain this symphony. For this reason, he entrusted the finale to a soprano voice – one that must sound innocent in its lyrical depiction of joy. Sarah Traubel, acclaimed as one of Europe’s most captivating vocal artists, will perform as the soloist. The German soprano, renowned for her radiant tone and exceptional projection, is in high demand on both the concert and opera stages. With a voice capable of exquisite nuance, from delicately sculpted long phrases to a dazzling upper register, Traubel will display her artistry not only in Mahler’s finale but also in the works of Berg and Strauss.

For this first concert of the Belgrade Philharmonic’s season – originally scheduled to be led by Feltz – the orchestra will perform under the baton of Carlos Miguel Prieto, celebrated for his charismatic style and expressive interpretations. A Grammy-winning Mexican conductor, Prieto has earned a reputation as one of the foremost figures in today’s orchestral world: a cultural leader, educator, and advocate of contemporary music. He has collaborated with Gustavo Dudamel and conducted many of the finest orchestras across North America and Europe.

Tickets are available at the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra’s Box Office and at the Kolarac Hall box office before the concert.