24–26 May 2006
Open Competition for Solo Singers
The 14th edition of the festival “Horizons on the Tisa” – Josif Marinković Days was held from 24 to 26 May 2006. This year’s program was dedicated to marking the 155th anniversary of the birth and the 75th anniversary of the death of composer Josif Marinković, with the central event being the sixth competition of young solo singers.
Melodies of a Unique Spiritual Identity
At the opening ceremony, guests were welcomed by Dobrivoj Raškov, President of the Municipal Assembly of Novi Bečej. The festival was officially opened by Dušan Vujičić, Assistant Provincial Secretary for Culture, who wished the young competitors success in presenting their talents. He emphasized that dedication to solo singing requires a life of sacrifice and devotion, sometimes comparable to asceticism, and that nurturing a true solo singer from natural talent alone is an exceptionally demanding task.
The opening address was delivered by Boris Černogubov, professor at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, who stressed that the messages contained in Josif Marinković’s melodic works remain highly relevant today, perhaps even more convincing than in previous decades. Rooted in native folk melody—which preserves not only the artistic essence of the nation but also reveals its historical destiny—Marinković’s compositions, especially his Kolos, closely connected with Mokranjac’s Rukoveti, continue to speak powerfully to contemporary generations. His music helped shape the spiritual identity of the Serbian people and paved the way for their recognition within European cultural circles, confirming authentic artistic values and creative potential.
Concert Evening of Art Songs
With the aim of preserving the lasting values of Marinković’s work, the organizers decided that the opening concert would feature young soloists from the Opera Studio of the National Theatre in Belgrade. They performed art songs selected from the previous five invitational composition competitions, mostly in versions accompanied by strings, performed by the Royal String Players of St. George.
The performers were:
- Biljana Soldo, soprano (J. Marinković Prayer; Vera Milanković Happiness; Miroljub Aranđelović Rasinski Oh, Desolate Sea),
- Biljana Menda, soprano (Miloš Zatkalik Words in Stone; Minta Aleksinački The Captive Prisoner),
- Ana Cvetković, soprano (Svetozar Saša Kovačević Hourglass; Dušan Kostić The Lord’s Bread),
- Jelena Rakić, soprano (Aleksandar Simić Two Songs by Lorca),
- Milica Gajić, mezzo-soprano (Mirjana Živković Without Wings),
- Dragana Stanković, mezzo-soprano (Stanko Šepić Melancholy; Zoran Hristić The Bloody Wedding in Brzava),
- Nebojša Babić, bass-baritone (Dimitrije O. Golemović Autumn Farewell),
- Sanja Radišić, mezzo-soprano (Konstantin Babić The Saturdays of My Childhood).
As a guest, Predrag Milanović, baritone and soloist of the National Theatre Opera in Belgrade, performed (Reformer by Dejan Despić). Piano accompaniment was provided by Aleksandar Kolarević and Ivan Jovanović, with stage direction by Radoslav Zlatan Dorić and artistic realization by Aleksandar Kolarević.
Solo Singing Competition
The second day of the festival was dedicated to the open competition for solo singers. In the first round, competitors were required to perform an art song by an early master, one from the Romantic era, and one by a 20th-century composer.
Out of 19 registered applicants, 12 competitors took part. Following the first round, the jury selected six finalists: Sanja Radišić, Mirjana Pantelić, Ines Popović, Jelena Radovanović, Igor Arizanović, and Svetozar Vujić.
All Finalists Awarded
On the final day of the festival, the concluding round of the competition, the announcement of winners, and the award ceremony were held. In accordance with competition rules, all finalists performed one art song composed for Horizons on the Tisa, one song by Josif Marinković, and an operatic aria of their own choice.
The jury—Radmila Bakočević (President), Vera Kovač Vitkai, Marija Adamov, Milorad Kenjalović, and Georgi Minov—decided to award all six finalists, a decision warmly welcomed by the audience.
The First Prize was awarded to mezzo-soprano Sanja Radišić. The Second Prize was shared by sopranos Ines Popović and Jelena Radovanović, who also received the “Josif Marinković Award” for her interpretation of Prayer. The Third Prize went to soprano Mirjana Pantelić. Among male voices, the Second Prize was awarded to bass Svetozar Vujić, and the Third Prize to tenor Igor Arizanović.
Awards
Female Voices
- First Prize: Sanja Radišić
- Second Prize: Jelena Radovanović, Ines Popović
- Third Prize: Mirjana Pantelić
Male Voices
- First Prize: not awarded
- Second Prize: Svetozar Vujić
- Third Prize: Igor Arizanović
Josif Marinković Award
- Jelena Radovanović – interpretation of Prayer
Academy of Arts Award (Banja Luka)
- Sanja Radišić – interpretation of Melancholy by Stanko Šepić
Exhibition by Ratko Šoć
As part of the accompanying program, a visual art exhibition was organized. This year featured works by academic painter Ratko Šoć (born 1938) from Vrbas. According to art critic Zdravko Vučinić, Šoć has developed a distinctive artistic handwriting and a recognizable pictorial poetics, making him a notable figure in contemporary Serbian painting.
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