Music festivals announced for Skopje and Belgrade

The 45th Skopje Jazz Festival is scheduled to take place from October 15 to 18, featuring musicians from 13 different countries. Director Oliver Belopeta announced that the program focuses on contemporary, improvisational jazz. The festival will include eight main stage concerts at the National Opera and Ballet, along with three midnight concerts held on a specially prepared small stage at the same venue.

The opening program features Slovenian percussionist Zlatko Kaučič and the Quispel Quintet, led by Leonhard Skorupa, which will include Macedonian musicians.

In Serbia, the 58th Belgrade Music Festival, known as Bemus, will run from October 17 to 30. The festival features a diverse program of symphonic, operatic, and chamber music. Highlights include performances by the Sofia Philharmonic, the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra, and the Budapest Chamber Orchestra.

The event opens with a gala concert featuring soloists from the Mariinsky, Bolshoi, and Vienna State Opera. Other notable performers include violinist Daniel Lozovitch and pianist Arkady Volodos. The festival concludes on October 30 with a performance by the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra.