Published · 28 September 2025
Frau Jovana²: An Evening of Music and Friendship
After a summer we had both spent at the Berlin Opera Academy, Jovana and I wanted to share some of the music, experiences and artistic energy we brought back from Berlin with the audience in Novi Sad.
The Frau Jovana² concert, which I performed on 25 September together with my dearest Jovana Kojić (soprano) at the Beckley Hall of the “Isidor Bajić” Music School, meant much more to me than simply another concert appearance.
After a summer we had both spent at the Berlin Opera Academy, we wanted to share some of the music, experiences and artistic energy we brought back from Berlin with the audience in Novi Sad. Together with our pianist Strahinja Đokić, we prepared a programme spanning different periods and styles, from Monteverdi and Pergolesi to Verdi, Puccini and other composers.
It was particularly meaningful for me to perform repertoire that reflects one of the directions of my continued vocal development. Among these pieces was “Anch’io dischiuso un giorno,” the cantabile from Abigaille’s aria in Verdi’s Nabucco. Only a year earlier, working on Verdi, coloratura and the demands of the upper register had seemed much more distant, which made this performance a rewarding reminder of how much can change through consistent work.
What I will probably remember most from the evening, however, is the sense of togetherness.
Making music is always special, but it takes on an entirely different meaning when it is shared with friends and supported by family, teachers, colleagues and the audience. The warmth with which the Novi Sad audience welcomed us made the evening even more meaningful.
I am especially grateful to Strahinja Đokić, our pianist, for his musicianship, energy and support throughout the preparation process and the concert itself, as well as to Professor Ivana Jovanović, whose support made it possible for us to perform in the beautiful Beckley Hall and whose encouragement has continued many years after I completed my composition studies.
Above all, I am grateful to Jovana Kojić for sharing another musical experience with me. It is a rare privilege to have a colleague and friend alongside whom you can grow, follow one another’s artistic development and continue creating music together.
The Frau Jovana² concert remains one of those evenings that reminds me why we make music in the first place: for the work and growth, certainly, but even more for the people we create it with and those we share it with.
Watch “Anch’io dischiuso un giorno”: