Beogradska filharmonija performs on Friday, March 6 at 8 p.m. at Kolarac, under the baton of Howard Griffiths, with pianist Steven Osborne as soloist. The program features works by Arvo Pärt, Benjamin Britten, and Antonín Dvořák.

The concert opens with “Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten” by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, written as an elegy in memory of Benjamin Britten, whose music Pärt deeply admired. The piece is a striking example of Pärt’s innovative tintinnabuli technique, inspired by the mysticism of early Christian chant.

The centerpiece of the evening is Britten’s Piano Concerto, performed by the Belgrade Philharmonic for the first time. Although brilliant and virtuosic, the concerto is rarely heard in the standard piano repertoire. Steven Osborne, awarded the Order of the British Empire for his services to music, is celebrated for his distinctive interpretations and wide-ranging repertoire. He has appeared in some of the world’s most prestigious venues, including the Vienna Konzerthaus, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Berlin Philharmonie, and others.

The program concludes with one of the most beloved symphonic works, Symphony No. 8 by Czech composer Antonín Dvořák. Since its premiere in 1890 at the Rudolfinum in Prague, conducted by the composer himself, and its London premiere a few months later, the symphony has enjoyed unanimous acclaim from audiences and critics alike, remaining a favorite of the Romantic repertoire.