Milijana Nikolic
Mezzo-Soprano
Serbian-born Milijana Nikolic holds a degree in Fine Arts from the University of Belgrade where she was under the tutelage of Radmila Smiljanic. Milijana has won awards in numerous international competitions including Biserka Cvejic (most outstanding vocalist of the year 1998) as well as the Nikola Cvejic award as most promising young singer in the Petar Konjovic International Competition 1998.
Milijana's operatic debut took place in the Belgrade National Theatre as Third Lady in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte and Tisbe in Rossini's La Cenerentola. In 2001, she won a two-year scholarship to attend the Academy for Soloists at Teatro alla Scala, Milan. During this time, she covered Olga Borodina as Dalila in Samson et Dalila; she also performed the role of Una Grecha in Iphigénie en Aulide conducted by Maestro Riccardo Muti. Shortly afterwards, Milijana made her La Scala principal role debut singing Cuniza in Verdi's Oberto.
In October 2003, she sang Emma in Donizetti's Ugo Conte di Parigi in Bergamo and then at La Scala. The following year, Milijana repeated the role for the Teatro Bellini of Catania. Other roles include: Maddalena in Verdi's Rigoletto; the title role in Bizet's Carmen and the role of the Marchesa di Berchenfild in Donizetti's La Fille du Régiment. This last production has been released on DVD for the NAXOS label.
Milijana's concert appearances have included a Gala at La Scala Theatre and Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle in Sardinia. In 2006, she sang Eboli in Don Carlo in Seoul, Korea; Baronessa in Chérubin and Fenena in Nabucco for the Theatre of Cagliari, Sardinia, and appeared with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra in Mozart's Requiem and Händel's Messiah.
2007 saw appearances with Opera Australia as La Principessa in Suor Angelica, Jezibaba in Rusalka, Azucena in Il Trovatore and Venus in Tannhäuser. Her association with Opera Australia continued in 2008 when she performed Ulrica in Un Ballo in Maschera and Adelaide in Arabella as well as Eboli in Don Carlo for Opera Hong Kong; she also appeared as soloist with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia and in the Opera in the Vineyards series of concerts.
In 2009, Milijana sang Amneris in Aida for Opera Australia and Verdi's Requiem for the Queensland and Adelaide Symphony Orchestras. She also appeared in Iphigénie en Tauride at Rome Opera under Riccardo Muti. In 2010, she took on the title role in Carmen for the Savolinna Festival in Finland, sang Vivaldi's Juditha with the Macerata Opera Festival, and sang in Bliss at the Edinburgh Festival. Upcoming includes Amneris for Opera Queensland and Southern Opera, New Zealand and Bliss for Opera Australia.