Ivanovich was born in Budua (Budva), at the time part of Venetian Albania (now southeastern Montenegro).

According to his testimony, he descended from an old patrician family who settled in Budva after leaving Cetinje.

There he became secretary of Leonardo Pesaro, Procurator of San Marco, and later, in 1676, was appointed canon of St Mark's Basilica.

From 1663, he wrote several librettos for operas which were performed in the theatres of Venice, Vienna and Piacenza.

He catalogued all opera performances held in Venice from 1637 until 1681 in his treatise Memorie teatrali di Venzia (Theatrical Memories of Venice), published in 1680 as part of the collection Minerva al tavolino.