Memorial Page for Sena Jurinac

Sena Jurinac (born 24 October 1921 in Travnik; died 22 November 2011 in Augsburg), born Srebrenka Jurinac, was an Austrian soprano of Croatian-Bosnian background. For decades she belonged to the Vienna State Opera ensemble, and her name became closely associated with Mozart, Richard Strauss and postwar opera life in Vienna.

Travnik, Zagreb and Vienna

Jurinac was born to a Croatian doctor father and a Viennese mother. She studied in Zagreb and made her stage debut there in 1942 as Mimì in Puccini's La Bohème. Karl Böhm engaged her for the Vienna State Opera in 1944. Because of the war she first appeared with the company on 1 May 1945: as Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro, performed in the temporary Volksoper venue.

The Vienna ensemble

In Vienna, Srebrenka became Sena. During the first postwar years she sang a dense repertory. The Vienna State Opera archive lists her, among other roles, as Cherubino, Octavian, Mimì, the Composer, Dorabella, Desdemona, Tosca, Marina and the Marschallin. That range explains why her name remained tied to the ensemble of those years: she could carry youthful trouser roles, lyric Mozart parts and later more mature Strauss and Verdi characters with equal conviction.

Mozart, Strauss and international stages

Jurinac sang in Salzburg, Glyndebourne, Covent Garden, at La Scala and in the United States. In Britain she was especially noted for Mozart roles at Glyndebourne, while in Vienna and Salzburg she was linked with Strauss and Mozart. Der Rosenkavalier accompanied her for many years: first as Octavian, later as the Marschallin. That progression shows an artist who shaped roles through voice, text and stage presence.

Recordings and teaching

Many of her interpretations survived on record and film, including Mozart roles, Ariadne auf Naxos, Fidelio and Der Rosenkavalier. After her farewell to the opera stage on 20 November 1982 she remained connected with singing as a teacher and masterclass leader. She worked with younger singers on clarity of text, musical line and acting detail.

Later years

The Vienna State Opera honored Jurinac with its ring and honorary membership. She later lived in Bavaria and died in Augsburg on 22 November 2011. Sena Jurinac was 90 years old. Her artistic profile remains linked with a voice that joined agility, warmth and clear words, developing operatic characters from music and language.