The Swiss-Serbian bassist studied at the University of Arts in Novi Sad and at the music faculty of the University of Arts in Belgrade, among others with Prof. KS Biserka Cvejic, and obtained his Master of Arts. Veronika Zimmermann is currently accompanying his career.

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He gained his first professional experience in the season 1996/97 at the Serbian National Theater, the Opera House in Novi Sad, where he performed in works such as «Die Fledermaus» (Strauss), «Il Trovatore» (Verdi) and «Tosca» (Puccini). As part of an engagement at the National Theater in Belgrade, he interpreted roles such as Colline («La Bohème»), Sparafucile («Rigoletto»), Il Frate («Don Carlos»), Sarastro («Die Zauberflöte») and the Sagristano («Tosca»).

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Before and during his studies, Boris Petronje won several important singing competitions and prizes in his home country: he received first prize at the Republic Competition in Belgrade (with distinction), at the Federal Competition in Kotor and won the presidential scholarship of the Fund for the Promotion of Vocal Art "Melania Bugarinovic" in three subsequent years.  At the competition for solo singing "Nikola Cvejic" he won the first prize and the prize for the best song interpretation. He was also awarded the prize for the most promising opera singer in the 2000/01 and 2002/03 seasons by the Music Faculty of the University of Arts in Belgrade.

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In 2003 he continued his education at the IOS Opernhaus Zurich, where he had the opporunity to share the stage with various well-known artists, as well.

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In addition to regular concert performances, he appeared at the Zurich Opera House during the 2003/04 season, among other roles as Il Carceriere («Tosca»), Billy Jackrabbit («La Fancula del West»),  Sarastro («Die Zauberflöte für Kinder») and Don Macrobio («La Pietra del Paragone").

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Since the autumn of 2004, Boris Petronje has been a resident artist of the Lucerne Theater with roles such as Fürst Basil Basilovich («Der Graf von Luxemburg»), Monterone («Rigoletto»), Don Basilio («Il barbiere di Siviglia»), Osmin («Soliman-Zaide»), Gremin («Eugene Onegin»), Simone («Gianni Schicchi»), Dulcamara («L'elisir d'amore»), Johann («Werther»), The Oracle («Idomeneo»), Pistola («Falstaff»), Ollendorf («Der Bettelstudent»), Ben Benny («Paul Bunyan»), Pavle's Father and Gorian («Die Rote Zora»), Masetto and Il Commendatore («Don Giovanni»), Bäcker («Die Grosse Bäckereiattacke»), Colline («La Boheme» Leoncavallo), Frank («Die Fledermaus»), Minotaurus («Ariane»), Franz («Die Christelflein»), Don Bartolo («Le nozze di Figaro»), Il Conte Rodolfo («La Sonnambula»), Minotaurus («Phaedra»), Sarastro («Die Zauberflöte») and Enrico VIII («Anna Bolena»).

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At the same time he was a celebrated as Il Commendatore («Don Giovanni») at the Feldkirch Festival 2006 and as a short-term replacement as Monterone («Rigoletto») at the Theater Basel.

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As a freelance singer, Boris Petronje was able to repeat his success as Enrico VIII («Anna Bolena») with the Opera St.Moritz. He performed Dulcamara («L’elisir d’amore») to great critical acclaim with Gartenoper Langenthal, as Don Fernando («Fidelio») with Garsington Opera and Musikkollegium Winterthur, as Kálmán Zsupán («Der Zigeunerbaron») with Operettenbühne Liechtenstein in Vaduz, as Don Profondo («Il viaggio a Reims») with Luzerner Theater in Lucerne, as Don Basilio («Il barbiere di Siviglia») at the Morcote Classic Festival, Tessin,  and as Don Basilio («Il barbiere di Siviglia») and Theophil («Marie und Robert») for Theater Biel Solothurn. 

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In the Tellspielarena Interlaken at the «Opera Tell» he was celebrated in the roles of Melchtal, Walter Fürst and -riding on a horse- as Gessler. While returning with Il Commendatore («Don Giovanni») to the Lucerne Theater, he made his debut as Zaccaria («Nabucco») in the Biel Convention Center.