Orchestra and Choir of the Zagreb Opera HNK

Although it appeared in 1850, the year that was crucial for the foundation of a permanent theatre orchestra was 1863, when Josip Freudenreich the theatre director at that time, introduced operetta into the repertoire. With the arrival of Ivan noble Zajc and the establishment of the Opera in 1870, a permanent Opera orchestra had been founded. Zajc additionally engaged teachers from the Croatian Music Institute and the orchestra numbered 24 musicians. Already from 1871 onwards, along operas and operettas, the Orchestra of the Croatian National Theatre performed symphonic music at concerts and the repertoire included works of local and foreign composers.

After WWI, the Orchestra expanded to 51 musicians and over time and with new generations grew to today’s 77 permanently employed academic musicians.

Along playing in numerous opera and ballet performances in their theatre, orchestra members often perform outside the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, in other chamber ensembles and the Zagreb Philharmonic.

Numerous prominent musicians such as Milan Sachs, Krešimir Baranović, Ferdinand Roje, Dragutin Arany, Milan Graf (co-founder of the Zagreb Philharmonic ) and many others played in the Orchestra of the CNT in Zagreb. Many world renowned conductors worked with the CNT Orchestra: Richard Strauss, Lovro noble Matačić, Boris Papandopulo, Oskar Danon, Samo Hubad, Lamberto Gardelli, Milan Horvat, Nikša Bareza, Vjekoslav Šutej, Igor Kuljerić, Vladimir Kranjčević, Miro Belamarić, Pavle Dešpalj and others.

Source: HNK Zagreb Opera