Bio
Vera Danilova is a Slovenian-Macedonian soprano.
After completing her studies in Skopje, Macedonia and studying with the Russian-Macedonian dramatic soprano Zvezda Damovska, she continued her education at the Academy of Lyric Art in Osimo (Accademia d’arte lirica e corale di Osimo, Italy), where she was mentored by the music impresario Sergio Segalini and the soprano Raina Kabaivanska. The program focused on staging complete opera productions (Susanna in Nozze di Figaro and Ilia in Idomeneo), as well as on Art Song interpretation.
She went on to enroll at the Music Academy in Ljubljana, at the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia. Studying with the renowned mezzo-soprano Eva Novšak-Houška, she graduated with honors and became an Academic musician. During her studies in Slovenia, Vera focused on learning operatic repertoire, chamber music repertoire and the pedagogical aspect of singing. She won several competitions and sang in many concerts. Vera made her opera debut singing Adina in L’Elisir d’Amore at the Slovenian National Opera and Ballet Theater in Ljubljana. One of her most notable achievements during this period, was being awarded the student Preseren prize (Prešernova nagrada), the highest award for an artist in Slovenia for extraordinary achievements in music (nominated for the part of the Soprano in Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana).
Starting as a member of the Opera studio, she soon became a soloist, singing leading roles at the Slovenian National Opera. She has sung a wide range of operatic roles from Belcanto to modern composers. Some of her favourites being Norina (Don Pasqale), Berenice (L’occasione fa il ladro), Die Prinzessin (Die Prinzessin auf der Erbse), Bubikopf (Der Kaiser von Atlantis), Adele (Die Fledermaus), Rosaura (Le Donne Curiose), Sophie Uhlich or Madame Herz in the original version (Der Schauspieldirektor) and others.
As an opera soloist and an independent artist, she has collaborated on different opera and concert projects and has performed roles like Norma, Lucia, Elvira (I Puritani), Rosina (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), Musetta and others. She has collaborated with conductors such as Dieter Rossberg, Uroš Lajovic, Borut Smrekar, Toshio Janagisava, Enrico Delamboye , Federico Santi and stage directors Gregor Horres, Manfred Schweigkofler, Diego de Brea, Vinko Möderndorfer, Henrik Neubauer, Barbara Haveman and others.
Many of her performances have been recorded for radio and television; she has also recorded music written specifically for her voice by contemporary composers, for several theatrical shows and CD’s.
She is equally active as a concert singer and has a wide repertoire of recitals including Opera arias, Antique and Baroque arias, German lied, Russian romances, Italian chamber music, Slovenian contemporary music and various spiritual/sacred music.
Аs Vera’s voice is developing, she is expanding her repertoar by adding a variety of lyric roles (such as the works of Verdi, Puccini, Cilea and others), starting with the role of the Mother, Gertrud in a production of Humperdinck’s Hansel und Gretel with the Maastricht Conservatorium (conducted by E. Delamboye and directed by Barbara Haveman).
She is currently studying the roles of Adriana (Adriana Lecouvreur), Desdemona (Otello), Leonora (Il Trovatore), Amelia (Il Ballo In Maschera) and Cio Cio San (Madama Butterfly).
Vera is very grateful and feels blessed to have had the opportunity to work with great artists who have supported her and guided her throughout some pivotal moments in her career, especially the English operatic tenor Alexander Brown, and the Dutch dramatic soprano Barbara Haveman.