BIOGRAPHY

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Distinguished Croatian soprano Josipa Bilić, a summa cum laude graduate of the Zagreb Music Academy under Professor Lidija Horvat-Dunjko, has established herself as a versatile artist across Baroque, Mozartian, and Romantic repertoires. She has collaborated with eminent conductors and directors such as William Christie, Sir Mark Elder, Pier Giorgio Morandi, Giampaolo Bisanti, Marius Burkert, David Danzmayir, Martin Yates, Hansjörg Albrecht, Dawid Runtz, and Valentin Egel, performing at world-class venues including Philharmonie de Paris, Opéra Royal de Versailles, Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège, Opéra national de Lyon, Oper Graz, Innsbrucker Festwochen, Bachfest Schaffhausen, Szeged National Theater, the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, and the Helsinki Musiikkitalo. In addition to performing with esteemed orchestras such as the Philharmonic orchestras of Graz, Helsinki, Szeged, and Sarajevo, she has also appeared with the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, the Croatian Radio Television Symphony Orchestra, the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra, the Varaždin Chamber Orchestra, Le Concert de l'Hotel Dieu, the Zagreb Soloists and the Croatian Baroque Ensemble.

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Her opera appearances have included the roles of Amore in Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice, Alceste in Handel’s Arianna in Creta, Despina in Così fan tutte, Ilia in Idomeneo, and Pamina in The Magic Flute, Gretel in Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, Sophie in Massenet’s Werther, the title role in Massenet’s Cendrillon, Adele in Die Fledermaus, Susanna in Wolf-Ferrari’s Il Segreto di Susanna, and Gilda in Rigoletto, among others.

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A laureate of the 9th Mirjam Helin Competition and the 12th Le Jardin des Voix academy, Josipa Bilić is regularly invited to the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, where she interprets many of her most significant roles. Her artistic excellence has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Young Artist of 2022 award and the Croatian Actor Award for Best Female Role in Opera.

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During the 2024/25 season, Bilić showcased her dual mastery of early music and core operatic repertoire. A central feature of her calendar was an extensive international tour with Les Arts Florissants under the direction of William Christie and Paul Agnew, performing Charpentier’s La Descente d’Orphée aux Enfers at prestigious venues like the Philharmonie Luxembourg and the Auditorio Nacional de Musica in Madrid. On the operatic stage, she made a significant debut at the Innsbrucker Festwochen der Alten Musik as Alceste in Handel’s Arianna in Creta. Her season in Zagreb was marked by acclaimed performances as Sophie in Massenet’s Werther and Jelena in Zajc’s Nikola Subic Zrinjski, further solidifying her status as a leading voice of her generation.

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Looking toward the 2025/26 season, Josipa continues to expand her international footprint while remaining a key guest at the Croatian National Theatre. Her schedule includes her debut in Liège, singing Elvira in I Puritani, in a final concert of the International Masterclass for Young Conductors of Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège, a highly anticipated return to the role of Rosina in Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia and continued performances as Sophie in Werther. In the concert hall, her commitment to the Baroque and Classical masters remains steadfast, with scheduled performances of works by Bach and Mahler following her recent success with Mahler’s 4th Symphony. 

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Additionally, her triumph at the Froville International Baroque Singing Competition leads into new recording projects and collaborations with Ensemble I Gemelli, ensuring her presence remains prominent in both the recording studio and the world's most esteemed opera houses.