DUO ARDEA
Laure-Catherine Beyers, soprano
Ana Ostojić, piano
© LEX KARELLY
Laure-Catherine Beyers, soprano, and Ana Ostojić, piano form the dynamic Duo Ardea. Their collaboration is defined by a distinctly contemporary artistic perspective in which innovation arises not as an effect, but as an organic extension of their musical identity. As musicians, performers, and initiators of new works, Duo Ardea seeks to connect classical and contemporary song repertoire in ways that open new narrative and sonic spaces.
In September 2025 they won first prize at the IVC Theatre in Song 2025 in ’s-Hertogenbosch (NL) with their program It’s Complicated, as well as the #LIEDINNOVATION Prize of the Rhône Festival in Switzerland. The duo also received 3rd prize at the International Lied Duo Competition Franz Schubert und die Musik der Moderne 2025 in Graz.
The duo’s artistic partnership began in Graz during their master’s studies in Performance Practice in Contemporary Music at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz. In January 2024, they collaborated on Helmut Lachenmann’s demanding work Got Lost, which they rehearsed and performed in close collaboration with the composer himself. This experience highlighted their exceptional musical synergy and their shared commitment to making complex music accessible and communicative.
At the heart of Duo Ardea’s artistic vision lies the desire not to be constrained by tradition. While honoring the rich history of the art song, the duo develops a contemporary and exploratory approach to interpretation, combining classical and contemporary lied repertoire with performative works and newly commissioned compositions. They also reimagine standard repertoire from the perspective of today’s lived experiences, infusing each work with their own identity and artistic voice. Their goal is to tell compelling stories that resonate with today’s audiences without compromising the integrity and beauty of the original works.
In November 2025, Duo Ardea collaborated with the young composers Sanziana Dobrovicescu and Mihai Codrea, both based in Austria, to premiere their project Echoes beyond the Body, the Duino Elegies — a homage to the work of Austrian poet R. M. Rilke featuring new compositions on his Duino Elegies — at the Rhône Festival in Brig (Switzerland).
In August 2024, the duo appeared at Kultursommer Wien, where they presented their program Got Lost, Traveling through Soundscapes. In February of this year, they returned once more to Lachenmann’s music, this time in combination with newly commissioned works, in a concert at the Alte Schmiede Wien.
Upcoming projects include their first CD production with Murmurs Records, followed by the release concert in the autumn at the Minoritensaal in Graz.