Cultural Element and the International Solo Singers Competition "Lazar Jovanović" presented a solo concert by mezzo-soprano Martina Koljenšić within the prestigious "Winners" edition. The concert was held with great success on June 26 at the Italian Cultural Institute in Belgrade.
Martina Koljenšić, accompanied by the superb piano collaboration of Ksenija Božilovć, performed an exceptionally rich and demanding program featuring works by the most prominent composers of German Lied, French Impressionism, and Italian Bel Canto, including Strauss, Debussy, Rossini, Bellini, Saint-Saëns, and Bizet. The concert program was complemented by instrumental piano pieces for four and six hands, performed by Ksenija Božilovć, Miloš Jerotić, and Nadira Ajanović, with guest performances by soprano Mina Nikolić. This performance once again showcased the remarkable talent and high artistic standards of the laureates of the "Lazar Jovanović" competition.
Martina Koljenšić (mezzo-soprano) was born on January 26, 1998, in Belgrade. Having completed both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Solo Singing at the Faculty of Music in Belgrade in the class of Prof. Višnja Pavlović Drakulić, she actively builds a notable operatic career. She is currently a member of the "Vojislav Soldatović" Opera Studio at the Serbian National Theatre in Novi Sad, where she has performed key roles such as Zerlina in "Don Giovanni", Dorabella in "Così fan tutte" (BELEF Festival), mother Anđa in the first Serbian opera "Na uranku" by Stanislav Binički, and Princess's Aunt in Puccini's "Suor Angelica".
In 2022, Martina improved her skills at the prestigious "Pehlivanian Opera Academy" in Slovenia under the direction of George Pehlivanian, where she had the opportunity to perform the roles of Carmen and Mercédès in concert performances of Georges Bizet's opera "Carmen" in eleven Slovenian cities. She made her professional debut at the Serbian National Theatre in 2023 as Olga in "Eugene Onegin". Beyond opera stages, she also performed as a soloist in Mozart's Requiem on the main stage of the Ilija M. Kolarac Endowment in 2022 and with orchestras such as UAMO "Stanislav Binički", the National Theatre Orchestra in Belgrade, and the Youth Philharmonic "Borislav Pašćan".
In addition to being an accomplished vocal artist, Martina represents an exceptional example of art synesthesia; having completed her studies at the Faculty of Fine Arts (Painting department), she actively and successfully practices painting, with several solo and group exhibitions behind her. This unique artistic vertical combines canvas, stage movement, and operatic singing into a unified, powerful artistic expression.