Legendary conductor Michail Jurowski and the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra will perform symphonies by Mozart and Shostakovich on Friday, 19 May (Kolarac, 8pm).
 
The Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the privileged orchestras in the world that have Michail Jurowski as a regular guest. Today’s oldest representative of the celebrated dynasty of musicians grew up in the circle of internationally acclaimed artists of the former Soviet Union. Close friendship with Shostakovich had a huge influence on Michail Jurowski, which is why he is nowadays considered as one of the leading interpreters of Shostakovich’s music – not only because of the curious fact that he used to play four-hand piano with Shostakovich as a boy, but also because he is one of the rare witnesses of the creation and premiere performances of the composer’s capital symphonies.
 
The Maestro will conduct the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra’s performance of Mozart’s Symphony No 40 and Shostakovich’s Symphony No 5: “The common aspect shared by the pieces in the programme is the ingenuity of both composers. Although they belong to completely different musical universes, Mozart opened the era of Classicism, while Shostakovich brought this period to an end”, said Michail Jurowski.
 
Of Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony, Jurowski said: “In the weeping of the entire orchestra, this symphony is a collective cry for help, the embodiment of suffering under Stalin. The most important human catharsis is not the victory of power but rather the feeling of victory of a human soul against the evil that surrounds it”.