Vesna Ginovska Ilkova

Macedonian soprano Vesna Ginovska Ilkova is the leading drama soprano in the Macedonian Opera and Ballet in the past two decades. The woman with the velvet voice impressed the audience with her musicality, charisma and strong musical drama. She is said to possess the most sophisticated piano (a part of opera technique) as well as specific vocal creation in which everyone could recognize her performance and musical stage work interpretation. Her debut in the “Macedonian Opera and Ballet” was with the role of "Michaela" in the opera Carmen - G. Bizet in 1996. The critics recognized her as young Illyria-like soprano that owns a remarkable legato technique in her singing. The international debut started at the National Opera in Sofia in 2001,where she worked on extremely technically complexed role of "Elizabeth" in the opera "Don Carlo" by G. Verdi. This performance brought to her an employment contract for the next production of the opera "Tosca" G. Puccini, where she interpreted the main role. She accomplished tours and performances in Rostham Teather, Airborg Center - Copenhagen, Denmark. Immediately after followed a starring engagement for the Summer Histria Festival in Pula Arena, with the role of Aida from the opera Aida, G. Verdi, where she performed together with the National Opera - HNK Zagreb, under the conductor baton of Maestro Pavle Deshpalj. She accepted the role of "Desdemona" Othello - G. Verdi, at the invitation of the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra and debuted on stage together with the leading tenor Janez Lotric. The most important production she worked for in that period was her apearance at the festival in Aspendos, Antalia. For that occasion she prepared Aida and the partner on stage was Boyko Tsvetanov. For the first time she took part in the Macedonian opera "Lydia of Macedonia" by composer Risto Avramovski, where she sang the main role “Lydia” under the conductor Janosh Pshibilski. When someone mentions "Madame Butterfly" and the role of Cio-Cio San from G. Puccini, it is an association of women who managed to raise the audience on their feet. After her performance no one stayed indifferent. With this performance she reached the pedestal of artistic creation and interpretation. In the Premiere of the opera "Turandot" she debuted with the role of "Liu" which was accepted with superlatives by domestic critic.....proved to be a true master of phrase shaping, clearly captured through the special sensibility of Ginovska Ilkova......."With her performance of the role "Mimi" in the opera "La Boheme", became recognizable the emotionally dramatic expression that she owns. Followed the productions “Caballeria Rusticana" with the role of Santuca, P.Mascagni, "La Forca del destino", with the role of Donna Leonora, G. Verdi, "Un ballo un maschera” with the role of Amelia, G.Verdi,.....debuted in the role of Turandot in the opera "Turandot" G. Puccini. She also made her debuts in the A. Ponchielli opera, “La Giaconda” - Giaconda, (NHK Rijeka);..G. Verdi, "Macbeth" - Lady Macbeth, G. Verdi; "Simon Bocanegra" - Amelia, "Attila" - in the role of Odabela . In concerts she performed together with Macedonian Philharmonic Orchestra, Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, while also performed together with chamber orchestras and took part in numerous recitals. She took part at the opening of the high ranked "Ohrid Summer Festival" with a performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, "Skopje Summer Festival" with the Verdi Requiem under the conducting baton of Josip Shego. Her artistic repertoire brought her to the most difficult form of performance, a recital. She performed the works of Schubert, Schuman, Tchaikovsky, Glinka, Weber, Liszt, Sibelius, and Bernstein in the numerous stages and concert halls. For the purposes of MTV has recorded premieres together with the MOB and has released her CD titled "True Value". In November 2002 she was awarded with November 13th - Award of the City of Skopje, 2005 - "In the world of success," 2006 - Honorary Ambassador of Commerce of Macedonia, 2009 - "Golden Lyre" by the Association of Musical Artists of Macedonia, 2014 - " Virtuoso” Vesna Ginovska Ilkova was born in Skopje, 1972. She graduated in the class of prof. Milka Efimova, and took MA in the class of prof. Radmila Bakochevic..Besides working as a performer in MOB, she is an associate professor in the department of solo singing at the Faculty of Music Arts in Skopje.