{{short description|Operatic mezzo-soprano}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} [[File:Milijana Nikolic.jpg|thumb|Milijana Nikolic, 2010 at the Queensland Conservatorium]] '''Milijana Nikolic''' (or '''Nikolić'''; {{lang-sr-Cyrl|Милијана Николић}}; born 1975) is an operatic mezzo-soprano.

==Education== Nikolic was born in Sremska Mitrovica{{efn|1=Sremska Mitrovica was then in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, today it is in Serbia.}} where she began singing in the choir Sirmium Cantorum. She graduated in 2001 from the University of Arts in Belgrade, tutored by Prof. Radmila Smiljanić.<ref name=bgf>{{cite web|url=https://www.bgf.rs/en/solista_cp/milijana-nikolic/|access-date=29 May 2026|title=Milijana Nikolić|publisher=Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra}}</ref>

==Career== Her stage debut was at the National Theatre in Belgrade as Third Lady in Mozart's ''The Magic Flute''; she then sang Tisbe in Rossini's ''La Cenerentola''.<ref>[http://www.lombardoassociates.org/milijana-nikolic/ "Milijana Nikolic – mezzo soprano"], lombardoassociates.org</ref>

In 2001, Nikolic won a two-year scholarship for the Teatro alla Scala Academy for Solists. At the academy, sang the Third Greek Lady in Gluck's ''Iphigénie en Aulide''<ref>{{IMDb title|qid=Q129677575|id=tt0428691|title=Iphigénie en Aulide|description=(2002)}}</ref> conducted by Riccardo Muti at the Teatro degli Arcimboldi, Milan, Emma in Donizetti's ''Ugo, conte di Parigi'',<ref>[http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2003/ottobre/11/Donizetti_lancia_giovani_co_7_031011071.shtml "Donizetti lancia i giovani"] by Gian Mario Benzing, ''Corriere della Sera'' (11 October 2003) {{in lang|it}}</ref> a role she had sung before at the Teatro Donizetti in Bergamo and later sang again at the Teatro Massimo Bellini in Catania. At La Scala, she sang the principal role of Cuniza in Verdi's ''Oberto'', a production where her later husband Rosario La Spina sang Riccardo; this production then travelled to the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa.<ref name=bgf />

In 2006, Nikolic sang the role of Eboli in Verdi's ''Don Carlos'' in Seoul, Korea, and later reprised this role in 2008 for Opera Hong Kong.<ref name=bgf /> Other roles include Maddalena in Verdi's ''Rigoletto'', Marchesa di Berkenfeld in Donizetti's ''La Figlia di Reggimento'' in 2004 at the Teatro Marrucino, Chieti, which has been released on CD for Naxos Records. In 2006, Nikolic sang La Baronne in Massenet's ''Chérubin'' and Fenena in Verdi's ''Nabucco'' for the Teatro Lirico in Cagliari, Sardinia.<ref name=bgf />

Her collaboration with Opera Australia began in 2006, singing Ježibaba in Dvořák's ''Rusalka'' and continued with performances as the Princess in Puccini's ''Suor Angelica'', Azucena in Verdi's ''Il trovatore'' and Venus in Richard Wagner's ''Tannhäuser''. Other roles for Opera Australia were in 2008 Ulrica in Verdi's ''Un ballo in maschera'' and Adelaide in Richard Strauss' ''Arabella''.<ref>[http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/arts/arabella-paradox-deftly-unravelled/story-e6frg8po-1111115753893 ''Arabella'' paradox deftly unravelled] by Murray Black, ''The Australian'' (10 March 2008)</ref> In March 2010, Nikolic created the role of Mrs Dalton in the world premiere of Brett Dean's opera ''Bliss'' and she travelled in 2011 with that production to the Edinburgh Festival. Nikolic sang Amneris in Verdi's ''Aida'' for Opera Australia in 2009 and in 2010 for Southern Opera, Christchurch, New Zealand, and for Opera Queensland. In July 2010, she sang the title role in Bizet's ''Carmen'' at the Savonlinna Opera Festival in Finland.<ref name=bgf /> She also sang the title role in Vivaldi's opera ''Juditha triumphans'' at the 2010 Sferisterio Opera Festival.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.sferisterio.it/?p=4186&lang=en |title=''Juditha triumphans'' at the Teatro Lauro Rossi |access-date=2010-07-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120229151134/http://www.sferisterio.it/?p=4186&lang=en |archive-date=2012-02-29 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2013, she alternated in the title role of ''Carmen'' with Rinat Shaham in Opera Australia's "Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour" production.<ref name=CM>{{cite news|title=Gypsy Queen|author=Nathanael Cooper|department=''QWeekend''|pages=11–13|newspaper=The Courier-Mail|location=Brisbane|date=2–3 March 2013}}</ref><ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/opera/sopranos-share-the-load-of-bizet-life-20130214-2efq2.html "Sopranos share the load of Bizet life"] by Steve Dow, ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', 15 February 2013</ref> She sang Amneris in Michigan Opera's production of ''Aida'', opposite her husband as Radames.<ref name=MO>[https://web.archive.org/web/20121017050048/http://www.michiganopera.org/2012-2013-season/opera/aida/ ''Aida'' – Rosario & Mili"], Detroit Opera House</ref> In 2015, Nikolic sang Giovanna at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, in Donizetti's ''Anna Bolena''.<ref>[https://archives.metopera.org/MetOperaSearch/record.jsp?dockey=0385761 "''Anna Bolena'', Metropolitan Opera House, 9 October 2015, CID:356052]</ref>

Nikolic' concert appearances have included a gala at La Scala and Rossini's ''Petite messe solennelle'' in Sardinia;<ref name=bgf /> she has performed in Mozart's ''Requiem'', Handel's ''Messiah'', and Verdi's ''Missa da Requiem'' with The Queensland Orchestra and the latter with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. She also appeared as soloist with the Auckland Philharmonia. In September 2008 she sang in Mendelssohn's oratorio ''Paulus''.

In November 2012 Nikolic and La Spina had a son.<ref name=CM /><ref name=MO />

==Awards== Nikolic has won awards at international competitions, including the Biserka Cvejić Award as "most outstanding vocalist of the year 1998", the Nikola Cvejic Award as "most promising young singer" in the Petar Konjović International Competition 1998.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.novosti.rs/vesti/kultura.71.html:587204-Nasa-Amneris-iz-Australije|access-date=29 May 2026|title=Naša Amneris iz Australije|trans-title=Our Amneris from Australia|language=sr|author=M. Mirković|date=21 January 2016|work=Večernje novosti}}</ref> In 2001 she won first prize in the Ada Sari International Competition in Kraków.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sadecki.news/ada-sari-pierwsza-decyzja-jury/|access-date=29 May 2026|title=Ada Sari. Pierwsza decyzja jury!|trans-title=Ada Sari. First jury decision!|language=pl|date=16 February 2023|author=Roman Wiśniak|work=Sądecki News|location=Nowy Sącz}}</ref>

==Recordings== *2002: Third Greek Lady in ''Iphigénie en Aulide'' by Christoph Willibald Gluck *2003: Emma in ''Ugo, conte di Parigi'' by Gaetano Donizetti *2006: La Marchesa di Berkenfeld in ''La figlia del reggimento'' by Gaetano Donizetti

==References== '''Notes''' {{notelist}}

'''Citations''' {{reflist|30em}}

==External links== *{{YouTube|user=milijananikolic}} *[https://opera.org.au/artist/milijana-nikolic/ "Profile"], Opera Australia *[https://www.oq.com.au/artist/milijana-nikolic-mezzo-soprano/ "Profile"] at Opera Queensland *[https://www.operabase.com/milijana-nikolic-a12583/en "Repertoire, performances, biography"], Operabase *[https://www.patricktogher.com/milijana-nikolic "Profile"] at Patrick Togher

{{Portal bar|Biography|Opera}} {{Authority control|state=collapsed}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nikolic, Milijana}} Category:1975 births Category:Living people Category:People from Sremska Mitrovica Category:Australian people of Serbian descent Category:Operatic mezzo-sopranos Category:Serbian mezzo-sopranos Category:Australian mezzo-sopranos Category:21st-century Serbian women opera singers