UROŠEVIĆ ANNOUNCES NEW CONCERT SEASON AND MODERN APPROACH TO CLASSICAL MUSIC

BANJA LUKA, MARCH 15 /SRNA/ – Artistic Director of the Symphony Orchestra of the National Theatre of Republika Srpska Dušan Urošević expressed satisfaction that the ensemble has recently been strengthened with new members and announced a concert season that will bring classical music closer to the audience in a new and modern way.

Urošević noted that the ensemble is developing, as confirmed by the recent recruitment of new members to the string section, gradually bringing the orchestra closer to full seasonal capacity. "However, the formation of the complete ensemble is only halfway through, because performing major works such as the operas Carmen and The Badger on Trial requires the formation of a wind section as well," Urošević told SRNA. He stated that the orchestra held around 20 concerts last year and expects that number to increase this year. "We believe that this season will also bring new positions, which will make it easier to meet the production demands we are facing," Urošević said. He announced that by the end of March the orchestra will enter a new concert cycle titled Maestre, which will feature three female conductors from the region. "The goal of this project is to highlight the strength of women in leadership positions, considering the global statistics showing that until this year only 10 percent of women have held positions as chief conductors or artistic directors," Urošević stated. The orchestra is also preparing a multimedia concert that will present classical music to audiences through words and images. "At the beginning of April we plan to perform The Four Seasons. Through his compositions, Vivaldi managed to portray the surroundings, sounds and moods described in the sonnets. This ability to ‘paint’ with music makes the inspiration from these texts especially important for fully understanding their content," Urošević explained. In addition to performances at its home venue, the orchestra’s strategic focus is also on the decentralization of culture through concerts in towns near Banja Luka, in cooperation with local authorities. "We invite local communities to contact us so that we can establish full cooperation, because the decentralization of culture cannot be done on an 'individual' level. It is possible, but not efficient. It is necessary to join forces and move in that direction," Urošević said. He added that the international positioning of the orchestra is also one of its priorities, with plans to organize two guest performances annually in line with financial possibilities. "Following last year's performances in Tivat and Budapest, new contacts are planned with Serbia and Hungary, as well as a potential guest appearance by a conductor from Portugal. This process of international promotion includes not only touring abroad but also bringing foreign guests - musicians, conductors and soloists from the region and across Europe to Banja Luka," Urošević said. The core of the orchestra's activities and the focus of its promotion abroad is the artistic music of domestic composers. "The goal is that through these cultural exchanges the orchestra establishes itself as a relevant institution capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with similar international institutions," Urošević said.