Opera Singer. A bass-baritone of wide repertoire who sang throughout Europe. He shall be remembered for his long career at the Croatian National Opera of Zagreb. Though little is recorded of his early days, he studied at the Zagreb Music Academy and while still a student made his 1939 professional bow as one of the Monks in Verdi's "Don Carlos"; upon his 1941 graduation, he joined the company in Zagreb, then from 1943 thru 1947 sang with the Vienna State Opera before returning home for the remainder of his time before the public. While Mr. Neralic sang roughly 4,000 performances in about 150 parts, his reputation was built on a number of principal roles, perhaps chief among them the title lead of Wagner's "The Flying Dutchman" which he first assayed in 1953. Other main assignments, which he sang not only in Zagreb but at Berlin, La Scala Milano, and elsewhere included Iago in Verdi's "Otello", Hans Sachs from Wagner's "Die Meistersinger", Mephistopheles in Gounod's "Faust", the Four Villains of Offenbach's "The Tales of Hoffmann", the evil Baron Scarpia from Puccini's "Tosca", Wotan in Wagner's "Ring Cycle", Don Basilio of Rossini's "The Barber of Saville", Baron Ochs in Richard Strauss' "Der Rosenkavalier", and the title leads of Verdi's "Falstaff" and Mozart's "Don Giovanni". Designated Kammersanger (KS) in 1963, he gradually reduced his schedule over the years and was last heard in public as Hovanskoga at a December 9, 2000 Zagreb performance of Mussorgsky's "Khovanshina". Mr. Neralic lived out his days in Zagreb and died of the infirmities of advanced age leaving a significant legacy of live and studio recordings.
Opera Singer. A bass-baritone of wide repertoire who sang throughout Europe. He shall be remembered for his long career at the Croatian National Opera of Zagreb. Though little is recorded of his early days, he studied at the Zagreb Music Academy and while still a student made his 1939 professional bow as one of the Monks in Verdi's "Don Carlos"; upon his 1941 graduation, he joined the company in Zagreb, then from 1943 thru 1947 sang with the Vienna State Opera before returning home for the remainder of his time before the public. While Mr. Neralic sang roughly 4,000 performances in about 150 parts, his reputation was built on a number of principal roles, perhaps chief among them the title lead of Wagner's "The Flying Dutchman" which he first assayed in 1953. Other main assignments, which he sang not only in Zagreb but at Berlin, La Scala Milano, and elsewhere included Iago in Verdi's "Otello", Hans Sachs from Wagner's "Die Meistersinger", Mephistopheles in Gounod's "Faust", the Four Villains of Offenbach's "The Tales of Hoffmann", the evil Baron Scarpia from Puccini's "Tosca", Wotan in Wagner's "Ring Cycle", Don Basilio of Rossini's "The Barber of Saville", Baron Ochs in Richard Strauss' "Der Rosenkavalier", and the title leads of Verdi's "Falstaff" and Mozart's "Don Giovanni". Designated Kammersanger (KS) in 1963, he gradually reduced his schedule over the years and was last heard in public as Hovanskoga at a December 9, 2000 Zagreb performance of Mussorgsky's "Khovanshina". Mr. Neralic lived out his days in Zagreb and died of the infirmities of advanced age leaving a significant legacy of live and studio recordings.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
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