Bel Tempo
| Company type | Musical duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1986 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia |
| Founder | Vladimir Petričević, Suzana Petričević |
| Defunct | 1992 |
| Fate | Disbanded; brief reunion in 1996 |
| Headquarters | Belgrade , Yugoslavia (now Serbia) |
| Products | Music albums |
Number of employees | 2 |
Bel Tempo (Italian for Pleasant Weather) was a musical pair from Serbia and the former Yugoslavia, established in Belgrade in 1986 by siblings Vladimir Petričević (handling guitar, keyboards, and vocals) and Suzana Petričević (vocals).
At the time of their formation, Suzana was already a prominent figure in theatre. Their initial album merged elements of pop rock and jazz, securing their position within the Yugoslav rock community. In 1992, they followed up with their sophomore album, Modesty, which maintained a comparable musical style before they discontinued their activities. The duo briefly regrouped in 1996 to participate in the MESAM festival.
1986–1992
The sibling duo Bel Tempo came into existence in Belgrade in 1986, formed by Vladimir "Vlada" Petričević (guitar, keyboards, vocals) and Suzana Petričević (vocals), offspring of trumpeter Momir Petričević from the Belgrade National Theatre orchestra. Their name was derived from Bora Ćosić's theatrical work Bel Tempo. At that period, Vladimir was a 20-year-old philosophy student, while Suzana, aged 27, was an accomplished actress at the National Theatre who had earlier contributed vocals to Momčilo Bajagić's 1984 release Pozitivna geografija.
Their rehearsals took place initially at the Boško Buha Theatre hall, leading to the release of their self-titled debut album in 1987 under PGP-RTB. Although PGP-RTB initially doubted its market potential, the record showcased a fusion of pop rock with jazz influences and brass instrumentation. Vladimir composed all tracks except "Povedi me," for which Suzana provided lyrics. The album also featured "Zašto ne smem da te ljubim," a rendition of a Hungarian romantic song. Produced by Vladimir Racković (formerly of Odiseja), it included contributions from musicians Nenad Stefanović "Japanac" (bass), Alekandar Ralev (keyboards), and Papa Nik (percussion). The album found greater appreciation in Zagreb, resulting in frequent shows at the Kulušić club.
Owing to Suzana's theatrical engagements, their follow-up album Modesty was released in 1992, drawing inspiration from the comic heroine Modesty Blaise. Both siblings collaborated on songwriting for this project. The lineup featured Saša Lokner (keyboards), Aleksandar Jelić (bass), Nenad Petrović (saxophone), among others. After this release, Bel Tempo dissolved, influenced by Suzana’s pregnancy and the outbreak of the Yugoslav Civil War.
Post breakup
Following their split, Suzana spent a year performing at Belgrade’s jazz venue Tabu, accompanied by renowned Serbian jazz artists Miša Blam, Miša Krstić, Miša Komnenić, and Saša Radojčić. Meanwhile, Vladimir moved into an editorial position at Radio Television of Serbia. The duo reunited briefly in 1996 to present "Ljubomora" ("Jealousy") at the MESAM festival.
After this reunion, Vladimir composed two songs—"Budi mi drug" ("Be My Friend") and "Jedna pesma koju volim" ("A Song that I Love")—for Marina Perazić's 1998 album Ista kao more (The Same as the Sea). He subsequently concentrated on composing for television, theatre, and cinema. His portfolio includes scores for numerous Radio Television of Serbia productions and films such as Goodbye in Chicago (1996), Virtual Reality, Doctor Ray and the Devils (2012), and From Love (2019). Vladimir has also created music for major Serbian theatres including the National Theatre in Belgrade, Serbian National Theatre, and Bitef Theatre and served as music producer at the Belgrade National Theatre. His work has been recognized with multiple accolades.
Suzana Petričević continued her acting endeavors across stage, television, and film while occasionally engaging with music again. She collaborated with Zoran Erić to co-compose music for the play Doctor Faustus, where she took on the role of God. In 1999, she contributed "Pusti me da spavam" ("Let Me Sleep") to the protest compilation Proleće na trgu – Moj Beograd srce ima, opposing the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. In 2004, she released a multimedia CD through PGP-RTS, featuring her interpretation of "Summertime", supplemented by video footage and photography. That same year, she competed at Beovizija 2004 with her song "Nikad više" ("Never Again").
Studio albums
- Bel Tempo (1987)
- Modesty (1992)