The Opera Chorus of the National Theatre in Belgrade is one of the oldest and most prestigious choral ensembles in Serbia.
The earliest roots of the chorus date back to 1870, shortly after the National Theatre in Belgrade was founded (1868). In its formative years, the ensemble was composed of talented amateur singers and local craftsmen. A significant milestone occurred in 1892 with a critically acclaimed performance of Gounod's "Faust", followed by the premiere of the first Serbian national opera, "Na uranku" (At Dawn) by Stanislav Binički in 1903.
The ensemble achieved permanent, fully professional status with the official establishment of the National Theatre Opera company during the 1919/1920 season. Since then, the chorus has built a massive repertoire, performing major global opera titles (including works by Verdi, Puccini, Wagner, and Bizet) alongside national masterpieces.
Throughout its long history, the chorus has been shaped and led by some of the most prominent Yugoslav and international maestros, including: Stanislav Binički (first opera director and conductor), Lovro von Matacic, Josef Krips, Nikolaj Vasiljev, Oskar Danon (led the ensemble's post-WWII revival starting in 1944), Bogdan Babić, Dušan Miladinović, Borislav Pašćan and Dejan Savić (3).
The ensemble is highly regarded for its powerful, authentic Slavic vocal color and dramatic expression, featured on numerous archival recordings, vinyl releases, and international opera festival tours.