Urska Arlic Gololicic Wins at the 13th International Ada Sari Competition

Slovenian soprano Urska Arlic Gololicic has taken first prize at the 13th International competition named after Ada Sari, which took place this year, along with an accompanying festival, April 17 to May 3 in Nowy Sacz in Poland. The competition consisted of three stages, with the winner being chosen by adding up the points obtained in all three performances. In spite of the heavy competition, which included participants from almost every European country as well as from South Korea, Syria, Belorus and Russia, Ms Arlic won recognition for the best interpretation of the Polish song Zielone slowa by Szymanowski in addition to the top prize. She also earned invitations for concert performances and participation in other musical projects from the Krakow Philharmonic Orchestra, the Krakow Opera and the Musical Theatre of Lublin. Additionally, the Association of Polish Musicians awarded her the special prize of a solo recital on the 2009 Polish Music Festival.

In the first round Ms Arlic performed the song Wieder möcht ich dir begegnen of Franz Liszt, En svane (A Swan) by Edvard Grieg and Margarete’s aria from Gounod’s Faust. The second round saw her perform Pamina’s aria from Mozart’s Zauberflöte, Louise’s aria Depuis le jour from Gustav Charpentier’s opera Louise and the song Zielone slowa by Karol Szymanowski. In the final round, she performed Mimi’s aria from Puccini’s La Bohème, and an aria from Bizet’s Carmen, both with orchestral accompaniment. She appeared on the final gala concert, which took place April 24, together with the orchestra of the Krakow Opera under the direction of Tomasz Tokarczy singing Mimi’s aria from the first act of La Bohème.