SNG Maribor Symphony Orchestra consists of musicians of the Slovene National Theatre (SNG) Maribor. It is a regular opera orchestra but gives also symphonic concerts.
Background
Established in 1949 on the initiative of composer and conductor Demetrij Žebre, the Orchestra has worked with respected conductors such as Israel Yinon (Israel), Simone Fermani (Italy), Karen Kamensek and George Pehlivanian (USA) and with young Slovene soloists such as (Karmen Pečar, Mate Bekavac, Andreja Zakonjšek, Martin Belič and Anja Bukovec).
In 1996 the members of orchestra established the Society Mariborska filharmonija (Maribor Philharmonics). As such they worked under the artistic supervision of Narodni dom Maribor. They cooperated with numerous renown conductor (L. Schifrin) and soloists (P. D'Rivera). Their crowning project was the joined performance (together with Slovene Philharmonics) of Mahler's Symphony of Thousands. In 2004 they ceased to work but they subscribed their own concert series as part of production of Slovene National Theatre Maribor.
Programme
Orchestra plays all the opera performances. Since 2005 the Orchestra has organised its own subscription series of concerts that includes six symphonic concerts per year. It plays the standard repertoire avoiding the monumentaly orchestrated pieces from the end of 19th century.