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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Milka Stojanović
| name = Milka Stojanović
| native_name = {{lang|sr|Милка Стојановић}}
| native_name = {{lang|sr|Милка Стојановић}}
| image = Milka Stojanovic (1).jpg
| image = Milka Stojanovic (1).jpg
| alt = Young woman in heavy stage make-up
| alt = Young woman in heavy stage make-up
| caption = Stojanović circa 1967
| caption = Stojanović {{circa|1967}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1937|01|13|}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1937|01|13|}}
| birth_place = Belgrade, [[Kingdom of Yugoslavia|Yugoslavia]]
| birth_place = [[Belgrade]], [[Kingdom of Yugoslavia|Yugoslavia]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2023|09|01|1937|01|13}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2023|09|01|1937|01|13}}
| death_place = Belgrade, Serbia
| death_place = Belgrade, Serbia
| other_names =
| other_names =
| occupation = Operatic [[soprano]]
| occupation = Operatic [[soprano]]
| organizations = [[National Theatre in Belgrade]]
| organizations = [[National Theatre in Belgrade]]
| website =
| website =
}}
}}

'''Milka Stojanović''' ({{lang-sr|Милка Стојановић}}; 13 January 1937 – 1{{nbsp}}September 2023) was a Serbian [[soprano]] opera singer who achieved international success. She sang with the [[National Theatre in Belgrade]] from 1960 and started her international career in 1962 when she appeared at the [[Edinburgh Festival]]. She performed at the [[Metropolitan Opera]] and was a guest singer at <!--the [[Bolshoi Theatre]] and -->many leading opera houses worldwide. Stojanović was voted a "Golden voice", one of the four most beautiful operatic voices of the 20th century and is listed as one of the greatest performers of the [[List of compositions by Giuseppe Verdi|Verdian repertoire]] in the [[Villa Verdi]].
'''Milka Stojanović''' ({{lang-sr|Милка Стојановић}}; 13 January 1937 – 1 September 2023) was a Serbian [[soprano]] opera singer who achieved international success. She sang with the [[National Theatre in Belgrade]] from 1960 and started her international career in 1962 when she appeared at the [[Edinburgh Festival]]. She performed at the [[Metropolitan Opera]] and was a guest singer at <!--the [[Bolshoi Theatre]] and -->many leading opera houses worldwide. Stojanović was voted a "Golden voice", one of the four most beautiful operatic voices of the 20th century and is listed as one of the greatest performers of the [[List of compositions by Giuseppe Verdi|Verdian repertoire]] in the [[Villa Verdi]].


== Life and career ==
== Life and career ==
=== Early life and education ===
=== Early life and education ===
Milka Stojanović was born in Belgrade on 13 January 1937.<ref name="BR" /><ref name="Muz">{{cite book |title=Muzička enciklopedija, 2nd edition, Vol. III, page 461 |date=1977 |publisher=Jugoslavenski leksikografski zavod }}</ref> She studied [[world literature]] at the [[University of Belgrade]] [[University of Belgrade Faculty of Philology|Faculty of Philology]], where she completed the course of the studies but did not graduate.<ref name=" kjk96"/> She studied singing in the opera studio of {{ill|Zdenka Zikova|sr}}, in the [[La Scala]] Opera School (1964) and with [[Zinka Milanov]] in New York City.<ref name=" kjk96"/><ref name="Muz"/><ref name="GSL">{{cite web |url=https://web.operissimo.com/triboni/exec?method=com.operissimo.artist.webDisplay&xsl=webDisplay&id=ffcyoieagxaaaaabgagl |title=Stojanović Milka |website=operissimo.com |language=de |access-date = 4 September 2023 }}</ref>
Milka Stojanović was born in Belgrade on 13 January 1937,<ref name="BR" /><ref name="Muz">{{cite book |title=Muzička enciklopedija, 2nd edition, Vol. III, page 461 |date=1977 |publisher=Jugoslavenski leksikografski zavod }}</ref> to Ljubinka (née Vojinović) and Svetomir Stojanović.<ref name=kjk13>{{cite book | title = Српски Who is Who 2011-2013 | page = 693–694 | date = 2013 | editor = Uroš Šuvaković | publisher = Zavod za udžbenike | location = Belgrade | isbn = 978-86-17-18446-7}}</ref> She had a sister, Zagorka Stojanović, who became a costume designer and [[icon]]-[[Weaving|weaver]], and later designed costumes for Stojanović's recitals and concert performances.<ref name=dusica>{{cite news | author = Dušica Milanović | title = Kad miljenica sudbine oseti njenu moć | trans-title = When destiny's favorite feels its power | newspaper = Politika | page = 12 | language = sr | date = 5 September 2023 | url = https://www.politika.rs/sr/clanak/569839/Kad-miljenica-sudbine-oseti-njenu-moc}}</ref> Stojanović studied [[world literature]] at the [[University of Belgrade]] [[University of Belgrade Faculty of Philology|Faculty of Philology]], where she completed the course of the studies but did not graduate.<ref name=" kjk96"/> She studied singing in the opera studio of {{ill|Zdenka Zikova|sr}}, in the [[La Scala]] Opera School (1964) and with [[Zinka Milanov]] in New York City.<ref name=" kjk96"/><ref name="Muz"/><ref name="GSL">{{cite web |url=https://web.operissimo.com/triboni/exec?method=com.operissimo.artist.webDisplay&xsl=webDisplay&id=ffcyoieagxaaaaabgagl |title=Stojanović Milka |website=operissimo.com |language=de |access-date = 4 September 2023 }}</ref>


=== Operatic career ===
=== Operatic career ===
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She performed as a guest at the [[Graz Opera]] in 1962, at the [[Vienna State Opera]] from 1970, at the [[Teatro Petruzzelli]] in Bari, the [[Bavarian State Opera]] and the [[Cologne Opera]] in 1971, and at the [[Liceu]] in Barcelona in 1971.<ref name="GSL" />
She performed as a guest at the [[Graz Opera]] in 1962, at the [[Vienna State Opera]] from 1970, at the [[Teatro Petruzzelli]] in Bari, the [[Bavarian State Opera]] and the [[Cologne Opera]] in 1971, and at the [[Liceu]] in Barcelona in 1971.<ref name="GSL" />


She made her debut at the [[Metropolitan Opera]] in 1967 as Leonora in Verdi's ''[[La forza del destino]]''; a reviewer from ''Daily News'' noted that she "created a favourable impression", alongside [[Richard Tucker]], [[Robert Merrill]] and [[Cesare Siepi]], with [[Francesco Molinari-Pradelli]] conducting.<ref>{{cite news | last = Watts | first = Douglas | title = New Leonora is engaging | newspaper = Daily News | pages = 14 | language = sr | date = 13 November 1967 |url = https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-watt-douglas-new-leonora-is/131198042/ | access-date = 4 September 2023 }}</ref> She went on to sing with the company as Liù in Puccini's ''[[Turandot]]'', Amelia in Verdi's ''[[Simon Boccanegra]]'', Mimì in Puccini's''[[La bohème]]'' and the title roles of Verdi's ''[[Aida]]'' and Ponchielli's ''[[La Gioconda (opera)|La Gioconda]]''.<ref>Metropolitan Opera, [http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/gisrch2k.r?Term=Stojanovic,%20Milka%20%5BSoprano%5D&limit=5000&vsrchtype=no&xBranch=ALL&xmtype=&Start=&End=&theterm=S%74ojanovic,%20Milka%20%5BSop%72ano%5D&srt=&x=0&xHome=http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/bibpro.htm&xHomePath=http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/ Performance Record: Stojanovic, Milka (Soprano)], MetOpera Database</ref> She performed major soprano roles opposite [[Mario Del Monaco]], [[Franco Corelli]], [[Plácido Domingo]], [[Luciano Pavarotti]], [[Tito Gobbi]], [[Nicolai Gedda]] and [[Bruno Prevedi]], amongst others.<ref name="Politika">{{Citation | author = Borka G. Trebješanin| title = Vreme diva nije prošlo | newspaper = [[Politika]] | pages = 14 | language = sr | date = 20 June 2017 |url=http://www.politika.rs/sr/clanak/383342/Vreme-diva-nije-proslo }}</ref><ref name="ESN">{{cite book|title=Enciklopedija srpskog naroda, page 1100 |date=2008|author= Vesna Mikić |publisher=Zavod za udžbenike, Belgrade|isbn=978-86-17-15732-4}}</ref> Stojanović also extensively guested in the European opera houses, including the [[Bolshoi Theatre]] in Moscow,<ref name="BR"/> the [[Hamburg State Opera]], [[Deutsche Oper Berlin]], [[Teatro dell'Opera di Roma]], and in Venice, Palermo, Prague, Madrid, Syracuse, Romania, Hungary and Finland.<ref name="Muz"/><ref name="kjk96"/>
She made her debut at the [[Metropolitan Opera]] in 1967 as Leonora in Verdi's ''[[La forza del destino]]''; a reviewer from ''Daily News'' noted that she "created a favourable impression", alongside [[Richard Tucker]], [[Robert Merrill]] and [[Cesare Siepi]], with [[Francesco Molinari-Pradelli]] conducting.<ref>{{cite news | last = Watts | first = Douglas | title = New Leonora is engaging | newspaper = Daily News | pages = 14 | language = sr | date = 13 November 1967 |url = https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-watt-douglas-new-leonora-is/131198042/ | access-date = 4 September 2023 }}</ref> She went on to sing with the company as Liù in Puccini's ''[[Turandot]]'', Amelia in Verdi's ''[[Simon Boccanegra]]'', Mimì in Puccini's ''[[La bohème]]'' and the title roles of Verdi's ''[[Aida]]'' and Ponchielli's ''[[La Gioconda (opera)|La Gioconda]]''.<ref>Metropolitan Opera, [https://archives.metopera.org/MetOperaSearch/search.jsp?q=%22Milka%20Stojanovic%22&src=browser&sort=PDATE Performance Record: Stojanovic, Milka (Soprano)], MetOpera Database</ref> She performed major soprano roles opposite [[Mario Del Monaco]], [[Franco Corelli]], [[Plácido Domingo]], [[Luciano Pavarotti]], [[Tito Gobbi]], [[Nicolai Gedda]] and [[Bruno Prevedi]], amongst others.<ref name="Politika">{{Citation | author = Borka G. Trebješanin| title = Vreme diva nije prošlo | newspaper = [[Politika]] | pages = 14 | language = sr | date = 20 June 2017 |url=http://www.politika.rs/sr/clanak/383342/Vreme-diva-nije-proslo }}</ref><ref name="ESN">{{cite book|title=Enciklopedija srpskog naroda, page 1100 |date=2008|author= Vesna Mikić |publisher=Zavod za udžbenike, Belgrade|isbn=978-86-17-15732-4}}</ref>


Stojanović also extensively guested in the European opera houses, including the [[Bolshoi Theatre]] in Moscow,<ref name="BR"/> the [[Hamburg State Opera]], [[Deutsche Oper Berlin]], [[Teatro dell'Opera di Roma]], and in Venice, Palermo, Prague, Madrid, Syracuse, Bucharest, Budapest and Helsinki.<ref name="Muz"/><ref name="kjk96"/> She also performed in [[Berlin State Opera]], Frankfurt, Salzburg, Zurich, Copenhagen, Bologna, Valencia, Athens, Thessaloniki, Leningrad, Kiev, Odesa, Novosibirsk, Kazan, Bratislava, Ankara, Cairo, and Caracas.<ref name=kjk13/>
⚫
Her other Verdian roles include Desdemona in ''[[Otello]]'', Violetta in ''[[La traviata]]'' and Élisabeth de Valois in ''[[Don Carlos]]''. She also performed as Puccini's [[Tosca]] and operas by [[Pietro Mascagni]], in Borodin's ''[[Prince Igor]]'', as Liza in Tchaikovsky's ''[[The Queen of Spades (opera)|The Queen of Spades]]'', Leonore in Beethoven's ''[[Fidelio]]'', among others.<ref name="kjk96"/><ref name="ESN"/><ref name="britanika">{{cite book|title=Enciklopedija Britanika (Britannica pocket encyclopaedia), Vol. 8, page 159 |date=2005 |publisher=[[Politika]], Narodna knjiga|isbn=86-331-2119-0}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://proleksis.lzmk.hr/46898/ |title= Stojanović, Milka |date=20 November 2013 | publisher= [[Miroslav Krleža Institute of Lexicography]]|language=hr }}</ref><ref name="JLZ">{{cite book|title=[[Opća enciklopedija JLZ|General Encyclopedia of the Yugoslav Lexicographical Institute]], Vol 7|date=1981|publisher=[[Miroslav Krleža Institute of Lexicography|Jugoslavenski leksikografski zavod “Miroslav Krleža”]]}}</ref> Her broad repertoire also included Puccini's [[Madama Butterfly]], the Countess in Mozart's ''[[Le nozze di figaro]]'', the title role in Smetana's ''[[The Bartered Bride]]'', Santuzza in Mascagnis's ''[[Cavalleria rusticana]]'' and Tatjana in Tchaikovsky's ''[[Eugene Onegin (opera)|Eugene Onegin]]''.<ref name="GSL" />

⚫
Her other Verdian roles include Desdemona in ''[[Otello]]'', Violetta in ''[[La traviata]]'' and Élisabeth de Valois in ''[[Don Carlos]]''. She also performed as Puccini's [[Tosca]] and operas by [[Pietro Mascagni]], in Borodin's ''[[Prince Igor]]'', as Liza in Tchaikovsky's ''[[The Queen of Spades (opera)|The Queen of Spades]]'', Leonore in Beethoven's ''[[Fidelio]]'', among others.<ref name="kjk96"/><ref name="ESN"/><ref name="britanika">{{cite book|title=Enciklopedija Britanika (Britannica pocket encyclopaedia), Vol. 8, page 159 |date=2005 |publisher=[[Politika]], Narodna knjiga|isbn=86-331-2119-0}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://proleksis.lzmk.hr/46898/ |title= Stojanović, Milka |date=20 November 2013 | publisher= [[Miroslav Krleža Institute of Lexicography]]|language=hr }}</ref><ref name="JLZ">{{cite book|title=[[Opća enciklopedija JLZ|General Encyclopedia of the Yugoslav Lexicographical Institute]], Vol 7|date=1981|publisher=[[Miroslav Krleža Institute of Lexicography|Jugoslavenski leksikografski zavod “Miroslav Krleža”]]}}</ref> Her broad repertoire also included Puccini's [[Madama Butterfly]], the Countess in Mozart's ''[[Le nozze di figaro]]'', the title role in Smetana's ''[[The Bartered Bride]]'', Santuzza in Mascagnis's ''[[Cavalleria rusticana]]'' and Tatjana in Tchaikovsky's ''[[Eugene Onegin (opera)|Eugene Onegin]]''.<ref name="GSL" /> Other performances include title role in Cilea's ''[[Adriana Lecouvreur]]'', Leonora in Verdi's ''[[Il trovatore]]'', La Duchesse Hélène in Verdi's ''[[Les vêpres siciliennes]]'', Cleopatra in ''[[Giulio Cesare]]'', Elsa von Brabant in Wagner's ''[[Lohengrin (opera)|Lohengrin]]'', Ludmila in Smetana's ''[[The Bartered Bride]]'', and Kseniya in Mussorgsky's ''[[Boris Godunov (opera)|Boris Godunov]]''. She sang solos in Verdi's [[Requiem (Verdi)|Requiem]] and Beethoven's [[Missa solemnis (Beethoven)|Missa solemnis]].<ref name=kjk13/>


Stojanović remained the [[prima donna]] of the Belgrade Opera until her retirement in 1993.<ref name="BR" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.snp.org.rs/enciklopedija/?p=15900|author= V.P. |title= Stojanović Milka | publisher= [[Serbian National Theatre]] |language=sr}}</ref>
Stojanović remained the [[prima donna]] of the Belgrade Opera until her retirement in 1993.<ref name="BR" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.snp.org.rs/enciklopedija/?p=15900|author= V.P. |title= Stojanović Milka | publisher= [[Serbian National Theatre]] |language=sr}}</ref>
Verdi's


=== Personal life ===
=== Personal life ===
Her marriage to Živan Saramandić (1939–2012), a member of the Belgrade Opera and one of leading Serbian bass singers, was her second. They married in 1970 and remained together until Saramandić's death on 30 January 2012.<ref name="Politika"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.blic.rs/kultura/vesti/preminuo-zivan-saramandic/5m4087d |author= M.M. |title= Preminuo Živan Saramandić |date=30 January 2012 | newspaper= [[Blic]]|language=sr}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://arhiva.glas-javnosti.rs/arhiva/2007/04/07/srpski/K07040603.shtml |author=Mila Milosavljević |title= Sve što sam želeo, ispunilo mi se |date=7 April 2007| publisher= [[Politika]]|language=sr}}</ref> The couple had no children.
Her marriage to Živan Saramandić (1939–2012), a member of the Belgrade Opera and one of leading Serbian bass singers, was her second. They married in 1970 and remained together until Saramandić's death on 30 January 2012.<ref name="Politika"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.blic.rs/kultura/vesti/preminuo-zivan-saramandic/5m4087d |author= M.M. |title= Preminuo Živan Saramandić |date=30 January 2012 | newspaper= [[Blic]]|language=sr}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://arhiva.glas-javnosti.rs/arhiva/2007/04/07/srpski/K07040603.shtml |author=Mila Milosavljević |title= Sve što sam želeo, ispunilo mi se |date=7 April 2007| publisher= [[Politika]]|language=sr}}</ref> The couple had no children. Stojanović was [[Serbian Orthodox Church|Serbian Orthodox]].<ref name=kjk13/>


Milka Stojanović died in Belgrade on 1 September 2023, at age 86.<ref name="BR">{{cite news |url=https://www.br-klassik.de/aktuell/news-kritik/milka-stojanovic-gestorben-serbische-sopranistin-100.html |title= Milka Stojanović gestorben |date=2 September 2023 | website= [[Bayerischer Rundfunk|BR]] |language=de}}</ref><ref name=rts>[https://www.rts.rs/magazin/svet-poznatih/5266185/milka-stojanovic-preminula-operska-diva.html Преминула оперска дива Милка Стојановић] {{in lang|sr}}</ref>
Milka Stojanović died in Belgrade on 1 September 2023, at age 86.<ref name="BR">{{cite news |url=https://www.br-klassik.de/aktuell/news-kritik/milka-stojanovic-gestorben-serbische-sopranistin-100.html |title= Milka Stojanović gestorben |date=2 September 2023 | website= [[Bayerischer Rundfunk|BR]] |language=de}}</ref><ref name=rts>[https://www.rts.rs/magazin/svet-poznatih/5266185/milka-stojanovic-preminula-operska-diva.html Преминула оперска дива Милка Стојановић] {{in lang|sr}}</ref>


== Voice ==
== Voice ==
Stojanović's voice was a soprano with lush sonority and subtle dynamic nuances, with the levelled registers in its basic, velvety tonality. Her singing is characterized by refined interpretation and subtle musicality, paired with the exquisite vocal, technical and stylish qualities which allowed her to create performances of high emotional intensity. She was also known as a [[cantata]] singer.<ref name="Muz"/><ref>{{cite encyclopedia |title=Mala prosvetina encklopedija, Po-Š |volume=3 |edition=4 |page=506 |date=1986 |editor= Oto Bihalji-Merin |display-editors=etal |publisher=Prosveta | isbn=86-07-00001-2}}</ref> Stojanović was also known for the singing of the [[Russian romance]]s, which she sang with her husband, {{ill|Živan Saramandić|sr}}.<ref>{{cite news | author = Borka Golubović Trebješanin | title = Život je uvek u pravu | trans-title = Life is always right | newspaper = Politika | language = sr | date = 30 August 2020 | url = https://www.politika.rs/sr/clanak/461399/Zivot-je-uvek-u-pravu}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | author = Marina Mirković | title = Milka Stojanović: Davala sam dušu na sceni | trans-title = Milka Stojanović: I gave my soul on the scene | newspaper = [[Večernje Novosti]] | language = sr | date = 15 February 2018 | url = https://www.novosti.rs/vesti/kultura.71.html:711850-Milka-Stojanovic-Davala-sam-dusu-na-sceni}}</ref>
Stojanović's voice was a soprano with lush sonority and subtle dynamic nuances, with the levelled registers in its basic, velvety tonality. Her singing is characterized by refined interpretation and subtle musicality, paired with the exquisite vocal, technical and stylish qualities which allowed her to create performances of high emotional intensity. She was also known as a [[cantata]] singer.<ref name="Muz"/><ref>{{cite encyclopedia |title=Mala prosvetina encklopedija, Po-Š |volume=3 |edition=4 |page=506 |date=1986 |editor= Oto Bihalji-Merin |display-editors=etal |publisher=Prosveta | isbn=86-07-00001-2}}</ref>
Stojanović was also known for the singing of the [[Russian romance]]s, which she sang with her husband, {{ill|Živan Saramandić|sr}}.<ref>{{cite news | author = Borka Golubović Trebješanin | title = Život je uvek u pravu | trans-title = Life is always right | newspaper = Politika | language = sr | date = 30 August 2020 | url = https://www.politika.rs/sr/clanak/461399/Zivot-je-uvek-u-pravu}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | author = Marina Mirković | title = Milka Stojanović: Davala sam dušu na sceni | trans-title = Milka Stojanović: I gave my soul on the scene | newspaper = [[Večernje Novosti]] | language = sr | date = 15 February 2018 | url = https://www.novosti.rs/vesti/kultura.71.html:711850-Milka-Stojanovic-Davala-sam-dusu-na-sceni}}</ref> Over the years they organized series of recitals dedicated to [[Feodor Chaliapin]], as Saramandić was nicknamed "Serbian Chaliapin", where they would also sing Russian folk songs.<ref name=dusica/>


In the late 1960s, the ''[[Opera News]]'' magazine conducted the survey among the American critics and audience, who chose the four "Golden voices" of the 20th century: Stojanović, [[Renata Tebaldi]], [[Beniamino Gigli]] and Mario Del Monaco.<ref name="kjk96">{{cite book|title=Ko je ko u Srbiji 1996, page 537|date=1996|publisher=Bibliofon}}</ref> In Verdi's house, [[Villa Verdi]], in the village of Sant'Agata in Italy, there is a book with the list of the greatest performers of the Verdian repertoire and Stojanović is listed in it.<ref name="Politika"/><ref name="BR" />
In the late 1960s, the ''[[Opera News]]'' magazine conducted the survey among the American critics and audience, who chose the four "Golden voices" of the 20th century: Stojanović, [[Renata Tebaldi]], [[Beniamino Gigli]] and Mario Del Monaco.<ref name="kjk96">{{cite book|title=Ko je ko u Srbiji 1996, page 537|date=1996|publisher=Bibliofon}}</ref> In Verdi's house, [[Villa Verdi]], in the village of Sant'Agata in Italy, there is a book with the list of the greatest performers of the Verdian repertoire and Stojanović is listed in it.<ref name="Politika"/><ref name="BR" />

== Discography ==

In 1975 she recorded an album for the [[Radio Television Belgrade]] titled ''U svetu opere'' ("in the world of opera"), which contained works by Verdi, Puccini, Giordano, [[Francesco Cilea]], and Ponchielli. Her second album, ''Velike interpretacije'' ("great interpretations"), came in 1992 for the same publisher, with additional works by Bellini. It was re-published in 1998 as a CD.<ref name=dusica/><ref>[https://www.discogs.com/artist/2855419-Milka-Stojanovi%C4%87 Milka Stojanović at Discogs]</ref>


== Accolades ==
== Accolades ==

Latest revision as of 19:03, 10 December 2023

Milka Stojanović
Милка Стојановић
Young woman in heavy stage make-up
Stojanović c. 1967
Born(1937-01-13)13 January 1937
Belgrade, Yugoslavia
Died1 September 2023(2023-09-01) (aged 86)
Belgrade, Serbia
OccupationOperatic soprano
OrganizationsNational Theatre in Belgrade

Milka Stojanović (Serbian: Милка Стојановић; 13 January 1937 – 1 September 2023) was a Serbian soprano opera singer who achieved international success. She sang with the National Theatre in Belgrade from 1960 and started her international career in 1962 when she appeared at the Edinburgh Festival. She performed at the Metropolitan Opera and was a guest singer at many leading opera houses worldwide. Stojanović was voted a "Golden voice", one of the four most beautiful operatic voices of the 20th century and is listed as one of the greatest performers of the Verdian repertoire in the Villa Verdi.

Life and career[edit]

Early life and education[edit]

Milka Stojanović was born in Belgrade on 13 January 1937,[1][2] to Ljubinka (née Vojinović) and Svetomir Stojanović.[3] She had a sister, Zagorka Stojanović, who became a costume designer and icon-weaver, and later designed costumes for Stojanović's recitals and concert performances.[4] Stojanović studied world literature at the University of Belgrade Faculty of Philology, where she completed the course of the studies but did not graduate.[5] She studied singing in the opera studio of Zdenka Zikova [sr], in the La Scala Opera School (1964) and with Zinka Milanov in New York City.[5][2][6]

Operatic career[edit]

Stojanović debuted at the age of 22 as Amelia in Verdi's Un ballo in maschera on the stage of the Belgrade Opera in 1959. From 1960 she was a lead soprano singer of the Belgrade Opera and sang in the first Yugoslav staging of Verdi's Nabucco (as Abigaille) and Attila (as Odabella), and as Bellini's Norma.[5]

She started her international career in 1962 when she appeared, with a production of the Belgrade Opera, at the Edinburgh Festival,[6][7] followed by appearances with the company in Oslo in 1968 and in Lausanne in 1971.[6] She performed as a guest at the Graz Opera in 1962, at the Vienna State Opera from 1970, at the Teatro Petruzzelli in Bari, the Bavarian State Opera and the Cologne Opera in 1971, and at the Liceu in Barcelona in 1971.[6]

She made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in 1967 as Leonora in Verdi's La forza del destino; a reviewer from Daily News noted that she "created a favourable impression", alongside Richard Tucker, Robert Merrill and Cesare Siepi, with Francesco Molinari-Pradelli conducting.[8] She went on to sing with the company as Liù in Puccini's Turandot, Amelia in Verdi's Simon Boccanegra, Mimì in Puccini's La bohème and the title roles of Verdi's Aida and Ponchielli's La Gioconda.[9] She performed major soprano roles opposite Mario Del Monaco, Franco Corelli, Plácido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, Tito Gobbi, Nicolai Gedda and Bruno Prevedi, amongst others.[10][11]

Stojanović also extensively guested in the European opera houses, including the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow,[1] the Hamburg State Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, and in Venice, Palermo, Prague, Madrid, Syracuse, Bucharest, Budapest and Helsinki.[2][5] She also performed in Berlin State Opera, Frankfurt, Salzburg, Zurich, Copenhagen, Bologna, Valencia, Athens, Thessaloniki, Leningrad, Kiev, Odesa, Novosibirsk, Kazan, Bratislava, Ankara, Cairo, and Caracas.[3]

Her other Verdian roles include Desdemona in Otello, Violetta in La traviata and Élisabeth de Valois in Don Carlos. She also performed as Puccini's Tosca and operas by Pietro Mascagni, in Borodin's Prince Igor, as Liza in Tchaikovsky's The Queen of Spades, Leonore in Beethoven's Fidelio, among others.[5][11][12][13][14] Her broad repertoire also included Puccini's Madama Butterfly, the Countess in Mozart's Le nozze di figaro, the title role in Smetana's The Bartered Bride, Santuzza in Mascagnis's Cavalleria rusticana and Tatjana in Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin.[6] Other performances include title role in Cilea's Adriana Lecouvreur, Leonora in Verdi's Il trovatore, La Duchesse Hélène in Verdi's Les vêpres siciliennes, Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare, Elsa von Brabant in Wagner's Lohengrin, Ludmila in Smetana's The Bartered Bride, and Kseniya in Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov. She sang solos in Verdi's Requiem and Beethoven's Missa solemnis.[3]

Stojanović remained the prima donna of the Belgrade Opera until her retirement in 1993.[1][15] Verdi's

Personal life[edit]

Her marriage to Živan Saramandić (1939–2012), a member of the Belgrade Opera and one of leading Serbian bass singers, was her second. They married in 1970 and remained together until Saramandić's death on 30 January 2012.[10][16][17] The couple had no children. Stojanović was Serbian Orthodox.[3]

Milka Stojanović died in Belgrade on 1 September 2023, at age 86.[1][18]

Voice[edit]

Stojanović's voice was a soprano with lush sonority and subtle dynamic nuances, with the levelled registers in its basic, velvety tonality. Her singing is characterized by refined interpretation and subtle musicality, paired with the exquisite vocal, technical and stylish qualities which allowed her to create performances of high emotional intensity. She was also known as a cantata singer.[2][19]

Stojanović was also known for the singing of the Russian romances, which she sang with her husband, Živan Saramandić [sr].[20][21] Over the years they organized series of recitals dedicated to Feodor Chaliapin, as Saramandić was nicknamed "Serbian Chaliapin", where they would also sing Russian folk songs.[4]

In the late 1960s, the Opera News magazine conducted the survey among the American critics and audience, who chose the four "Golden voices" of the 20th century: Stojanović, Renata Tebaldi, Beniamino Gigli and Mario Del Monaco.[5] In Verdi's house, Villa Verdi, in the village of Sant'Agata in Italy, there is a book with the list of the greatest performers of the Verdian repertoire and Stojanović is listed in it.[10][1]

Discography[edit]

In 1975 she recorded an album for the Radio Television Belgrade titled U svetu opere ("in the world of opera"), which contained works by Verdi, Puccini, Giordano, Francesco Cilea, and Ponchielli. Her second album, Velike interpretacije ("great interpretations"), came in 1992 for the same publisher, with additional works by Bellini. It was re-published in 1998 as a CD.[4][22]

Accolades[edit]

In 1959 she won the third prize at the Yugoslav competition for young music artists in Zagreb and in 1960 she won at the singing contest for young singers in Toulouse, France.[2][23] She was awarded the "Golden Lyre", the award of the Yugoslav Composers Union, City of Belgrade's October award and four memorial plaques, awards of the National Theatre, among others.[5] A monograph on her career was co-published by the National Theatre in Belgrade in 2012.[24]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e "Milka Stojanović gestorben". BR (in German). 2 September 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e Muzička enciklopedija, 2nd edition, Vol. III, page 461. Jugoslavenski leksikografski zavod. 1977.
  3. ^ a b c d Uroš Šuvaković, ed. (2013). Српски Who is Who 2011-2013. Belgrade: Zavod za udžbenike. p. 693–694. ISBN 978-86-17-18446-7.
  4. ^ a b c Dušica Milanović (5 September 2023). "Kad miljenica sudbine oseti njenu moć" [When destiny's favorite feels its power]. Politika (in Serbian). p. 12.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Ko je ko u Srbiji 1996, page 537. Bibliofon. 1996.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Stojanović Milka". operissimo.com (in German). Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  7. ^ Cummings, David (ed.), "Stojanovic, Milka", International Who's Who in Music, Routledge, 2000, p. 619. ISBN 0-948875-53-4
  8. ^ Watts, Douglas (13 November 1967). "New Leonora is engaging". Daily News (in Serbian). p. 14. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  9. ^ Metropolitan Opera, Performance Record: Stojanovic, Milka (Soprano), MetOpera Database
  10. ^ a b c Borka G. Trebješanin (20 June 2017), "Vreme diva nije prošlo", Politika (in Serbian), p. 14
  11. ^ a b Vesna Mikić (2008). Enciklopedija srpskog naroda, page 1100. Zavod za udžbenike, Belgrade. ISBN 978-86-17-15732-4.
  12. ^ Enciklopedija Britanika (Britannica pocket encyclopaedia), Vol. 8, page 159. Politika, Narodna knjiga. 2005. ISBN 86-331-2119-0.
  13. ^ "Stojanović, Milka" (in Croatian). Miroslav Krleža Institute of Lexicography. 20 November 2013.
  14. ^ General Encyclopedia of the Yugoslav Lexicographical Institute, Vol 7. Jugoslavenski leksikografski zavod “Miroslav Krleža”. 1981.
  15. ^ V.P. "Stojanović Milka" (in Serbian). Serbian National Theatre.
  16. ^ M.M. (30 January 2012). "Preminuo Živan Saramandić". Blic (in Serbian).
  17. ^ Mila Milosavljević (7 April 2007). "Sve što sam želeo, ispunilo mi se" (in Serbian). Politika.
  18. ^ Преминула оперска дива Милка Стојановић (in Serbian)
  19. ^ Oto Bihalji-Merin; et al., eds. (1986). Mala prosvetina encklopedija, Po-Š. Vol. 3 (4 ed.). Prosveta. p. 506. ISBN 86-07-00001-2.
  20. ^ Borka Golubović Trebješanin (30 August 2020). "Život je uvek u pravu" [Life is always right]. Politika (in Serbian).
  21. ^ Marina Mirković (15 February 2018). "Milka Stojanović: Davala sam dušu na sceni" [Milka Stojanović: I gave my soul on the scene]. Večernje Novosti (in Serbian).
  22. ^ Milka Stojanović at Discogs
  23. ^ Radošin Rajović, ed. (1970). Jugoslovenski savremenici - Ko je ko u Jugoslaviji. Hronometar. p. 994.
  24. ^ "Monografija Milke Stojanović" (in Serbian). Službeni glasnik.

External links[edit]

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