Marija Salecic
Biography
Marija Salečić is a Croatian soprano who completed her Master’s degree in vocal performance at the Music Academy of the University of Zagreb, studying under Associate Professor Martina Gojčeta Silić.
She made her operatic debut at the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, performing the title role of Alcmene in Amphitryon, a Croatian opera by Boris Papandopulo.
As a soloist, she has appeared with the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, the Württemberg Philharmonic in Reutlingen, the Youth Orchestra of Musicians, and the Prussian Chamber Orchestra. She also performed with the ASMANGU ensemble at the Music Biennale Zagreb.
Marija has been awarded numerous scholarships and prizes, including a full scholarship to participate in a masterclass with Thomas Hampson and Melanie Diener in Waiblingen, Germany, and a scholarship for the Oper Oder Spree masterclass, where she received the Grand Prix as the most outstanding participant in 2022. She has continued her artistic development through work with renowned musicians such as Krešimir Stražanac, Eva Blahová, Srba Dinić, Bernhard Hansky, and Hervé Niquet.
In 2024, she won First Prize at the Lav Mirski International Singing Competition in Osijek, the Rector’s Award for individual achievement, and the annual Bohanec Award, which is presented each year to the most promising graduating singer at the Zagreb Music Academy. During her studies, she performed as a soloist in numerous student productions and received four group Rector’s Awards, notably for her role as Mollie in Igor Kuljerić’s Animal Farm, performed at the great Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall as part of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Zagreb Music Academy.
In 2025, she performed the leading role in the children’s opera Glas iz tišine (The Voice from the Silence) by composer Krešimir Klarić and librettist Karla Leko, staged at the Small Hall of the Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall.
She regularly gives concerts throughout Croatia in collaboration with pianists Petra Akrap and Darko Domitrović. Among many solo recitals, she especially highlights her solo recital in the foyer of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb. Marija has also frequently performed Vivaldi’s Gloria and participated in numerous opera gala concerts under the baton of Mateo Narančić.
She has worked with conductors such as Vlad Iftinca (Oper Stuttgart), Vinzenz Weissenburger (Berlin Staatsoper), Tomislav Fačini, Ivan Josip Skender, Franjo Bilić, Marija Anđela Biondić, Matija Fortuna, Ivan Ščepanović, and Mladen Tarbuk, as well as stage directors including Krešimir Dolenčić, Saša Anočić, Lars Franke, Mathias Behrends, and Kristina Grubiša.
In 2022, she had the honour of performing at the Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia.
She was also a scholarship recipient of the Municipality of Smokvica.
