There are few spaces in the modern Europe like Kalemegdan, which represent a place of collision between the West and the East and bear everything that the mythology, the border between the confronted empires embodies. Centuries of mutual permeation of influences between the Ottoman Turkey, Imperial Vienna, rural Serbia and other Balkan peoples, who lived on the narrow stretch of the Kalemegdan Fortress, wrapped around the confluence of the Danube and the Sava riverbanks, mirror even today in our cultural awareness as reflections of historic myths.

In the late July and early August 2007, on the main concert stage of the Festival, in front of the Victor statue, with the view of the confluence of rivers and the former historic boundary, we shall listen to the world-class protagonists of dislocated identities, performers whose expression represents a reflection of different musical cultures regardless of the place of creation. Borders do not exist. Here is there.

The sophisticated Peruvian landó of Susana Baca represents an open dialogue between the expression of the West African and south American coasts. Richard Galliano merges the sounds of the Mediterranean, Argentine and the urban Brazil. Jimi Tenor looks upon the Africa and jazz from the depths of Scandinavian frozen forests. Brooklyn Funk Essentials combine the sounds of the Orient with the swarming streets of New York. Lajkó Felix casts out the demons from his violin by combining the Balkan and the rock ‘n’ roll energy. Terry Callier filters the folk mystique through the authentic Chicago soul.

I believe that the freedom of transposition of music idioms through time and geographic spaces will be the basic channel for successful relationship and understanding between the artists and the Belgrade audience.

Sailing between the reefs of elitism and popularism, the music programme of our Festival is marked by the performers who oppose to the mainstream conventions of modern music industry, preserving the absolute recognition of world-class performing skill and positive communication with the audience.

The stars of the BELEF 2007 are the global vedettes of the urban festivals, the rulers of the town squares or simply put warmly welcomed names like Susana Baca, Brooklyn Funk Essentials, Richard Galliano, Jimi Tenor, Antonio Chainho or Terry Calliero. Fado, landó and vals, electronics, tango, souls, funk, Balkan fusions and minimalism, all of that on one stage. Be there!

Belgrade, June 2007