MARJANA LIPOVŠEK comes from a musical family from Ljubljana, Slovenia; her father was the composer and pianist Marijan Lipovšek. She initially studied the piano and Music Pedagogy in Ljubljana, followed by vocal studies in Graz Wien. Straight out of university, she received a contract with the Vienna State Opera. Here she has sung almost 40 roles, including Octavian, Amneris, Gaea, Erda, Fricka, Klytämnestra, Mrs. Quickly, Azucena, Dalila, Brangäne, Amme, Marfa, Waltraute. Marjana Lipovšek has performed in cultural epicenters worldwide. Most recently, she has sung in a new production of Pique Dame in Maribor, in which she played the part of the Countess, concert performances of South Pacific at the Volksoper and Clytemnestra at the Hamburg State Opera as well a new production of Rise and Fall in Mahagonny in Toulouse. Marjana Lipovšek is a Kammersängerin of both Vienna and Bavaria. In 2001 she received the Golden Cross of Honor for Science and Art for the Republic of Austria. In May 2004 she was awarded Honorary Citizenship in her hometown Ljubljana.