Back in 1787, Paris warmly welcomed the young Italian composer Luigi Cherubini, where he remained for the rest of his life. He achieved great success with his operas, especially Médée, his fame paralleling Maria Callas’ own, more than a century later at La Scala, when the operatic diva put on legendary performances of this role. Though composed in France, the overture to Médée carries the spirit of Italian opera, foreshadowing the bel canto tradition of Rossini, Donizetti, and Bellini.

During his lifetime, Cherubini’s student François-Adrien Boieldieu was known as the French Mozart. His Harp Concerto remains one of his few enduring works in today’s repertoire, owing to the efforts of world-class harp virtuoso Xavier de Maistre.

The Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra concludes this program with a jewel of Classicism, Mozart’s Symphony No. 39, performed for the first time under the baton of a rising Venezuelan star, conductor Rodolfo Barráez.