Beethoven, Saint-Saens, Mendelssohn

Conductor: Eduardo Gonzalez
Soloist: Dragan Đorđević Suzuki, cello

Program:
L. van Beethoven: Coriolan Overture, Op. 62 (1807)
C. Saint-Saëns: Cello Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Op. 33 (1872)
F. Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90, Italian (1834)

The Vojvodina Symphony Orchestra continues its concert season dedicated to the creative legacy of the great masters of classical music. On Friday, November 14, 2025, under the baton of maestro and cellist Eduardo Gonzalez, the orchestra will be joined by the distinguished cellist Dragan Đorđević Suzuki as soloist.

The program features works that illuminate different facets of the Romantic spirit: Beethoven’s “Coriolan” Overture, a dramatic musical portrayal of the conflict between duty and emotion; Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto No. 1, a brilliant and lyrical piece that unites virtuosity with the elegance of French style; and Mendelssohn’s “Italian” Symphony, a radiant and spirited work inspired by the composer’s impressions of Italy.

Born in Salamanca (Spain), Eduardo Gonzalez Lopez studied cello at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen (2002–2005) under Professor Alexander Hülshoff. In 2004, he was awarded the prestigious Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Scholarship, which enabled him to continue his studies at the Robert Schumann Hochschule in Düsseldorf.
Since 2013, he has served as Head of the String Department at the Conservatory of Castilla–La Mancha in Albacete. As a soloist and chamber musician, he has performed in China, Greece, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Spain. He currently plays a remarkable Italian cello crafted in 1935 by Gaetano Zgarabotto from Parma. Alongside his performing career, Gonzalez studied conducting with Rafael García Vidal, Miguel Romea, and Catherine Maguire. He is currently the Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Camerata Castilla–La Mancha.
Recent highlights include performances with the Iberacademy Orchestra in Colombia alongside violinist Kirill Troussov, concerts in Spain, Greece, and Austria, and an appearance with the Slovak Radio Orchestra at the Mozarteum in Salzburg (November 2024). During the 2024/2025 season, he led five sold-out concerts with Camerata Castilla–La Mancha at the Teatro Circo in Albacete.

Recognized as one of the most authentic artists of his generation, Dragan Đorđević Suzuki has built a multifaceted career as a soloist, chamber musician, and professor. He studied in Belgrade, London, and Essen, and furthered his artistry under Misha Maisky and the members of the Alban Berg Quartet. The youngest cello professor at the Faculty of Music in Belgrade, he is also the Artistic Director of the Belgrade Cello Fest and Ravanelius festivals.
In 2011, at the invitation of Valery Gergiev, he appeared as guest solo cellist of the Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra, after which he received the Zagreb Concert Management Award, gave a recital in the new Mariinsky Concert Hall in St. Petersburg, and debuted with the Rubikon Quartet at the City of London Festival.
He has performed in the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States, Russia, China, South Korea, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria, appearing at festivals such as BBC Proms, Auvers-sur-Oise, City of London Festival, Oxford Spring Festival, George Enescu Festival, Sion Festival Shlomo Mintz, Ohrid Summer, ARLEM, Kustendorf Classic, Cellissimo, BEMUS, CellISTOK, Zagreb Summer Evenings, NOMUS, KotorArt, and Belgrade Cello Fest.
As a soloist, he has appeared with numerous orchestras, including the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra, RTS Symphony Orchestra, Bergisch Symphony Orchestra, Amade Chamber Philharmonic (Austria), Romanian Radio National Orchestra, Bamberg Chamber Orchestra, Camerata Castilla–La Mancha (Spain), RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra, Montenegrin Symphony Orchestra, Macedonian Philharmonic, Vojvodina Symphony Orchestra, St. George Strings, Southeast Europe Symphony Orchestra, and the Pleven Philharmonic Orchestra.
His artistic expression has been enriched through collaborations with Julian Rachlin, Itamar Golan, Maxim Rysanov, Roman Simović, Nemanja Radulović, Emil Tabakov, Manuel Hernández-Silva, John Adams, Leslie Howard, and many others.
As a professor of cello, he regularly gives masterclasses in China, Spain, Sweden, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, and throughout the region. He performs on a cello crafted in 1797 by James and Henry Banks.

Tickets are available at the box office of Muzička omladina Novi Sad (Katolička porta 2, tel. 021/452-344) on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., or online at the link HERE.
Ticket price: 1200 RSD.
Students, pupils, and retirees are entitled to a 50% discount for tickets purchased at the box office of Muzička omladina Novi Sad.