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Franko Klisovic

Biography

Franko Klisovic - A name to remember in the opera world! In the 2023/23 season, the young countertenor will, among other things. as Ulisse in the production of Corselli's Achille in Sciro at the Teatro Real in Madrid (February 2023), in his German debut as Ottone (L'Incoronazione di Poppea) at the Bühnen Wuppertal (April to June 2023) and as Mars (La Concordia de Pianeti) at the Brno Philharmonic, the Spanish Hall of Prague Castle and the Hudobni Festival in Znojmo (February to July 2023).

Franko Klisović was born in Šibenik (Croatia), where he received his basic and higher musical education. While living in his hometown, he worked as an organist at the Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik. After graduating from high school, he enrolled at the Academy of Music in Zagreb to study conducting, where he is currently in his final year of study in the class of Tomislav Fačini.

He made his conducting debut in March 2019 with a performance of W. A. Mozart's opera Cosi fan tutte, and in the same year he also conducted the premiere of the musical Stribor's Forest at the Comedy Theatre. In May 2021, he conducted the performance of J. Massenet's opera Cendrillon as assistant conductor.

Franko began his vocal studies at the end of 2015 and after only three months landed the role of Ottone in Handel's Agrippina, with which he made his debut at the Croatian National Theatre Zagreb in April 2016. A little later, alongside his conducting studies, he enrolled at the Zagreb Academy of Music to study singing in the class of Prof. Martina Gojčeta-Silić.

In February 2017, he performed at the invitation of the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra in Doha at the Katara Opera House. He made his debut at the Croatian National Theatre in Rijeka with the role of the Ghost (Dido and Aeneas) and performed the roles of Aeneas and the Sorceress at the music festivals Musica appassionata and Korkyra Baroque Festival. 
In the 2020/21 season he sang Nireno in Handel's Giulio Cesare in Egitto in Rijeka as well as at the 2022 Savonlinna Opera Festival in Finland.

This season he will conclude in Rijeka as Smeton (Anna Bolena). In February 2023 he has been engaged as Ulisse in the production of Corselli's Achille in Sciro at the Teatro Real in Madrid. The next roles are his German debut as Ottone (L'Incoronazione di Poppea) at the Wuppertal Opera in April 2023 and the role of Mars (La Concordia de Pianeti) at the Hudobni Festival Znojmo in February and July 2023, as well as the entire next season at the Heidelberg Theatre in Germany.

He has won numerous prizes at international singing competitions: 1st prize and the Audience Award at the 4th Premiere Opera Foundation International Singing Competition (NY, USA, 2020); 1st prize at the Tullio Serafin Singing Competition (Vicenza, IT, 2021) in the role of Farnace (Mitridate, rè di Ponto), with which he debuted at the Teatro Olimpico in September 2021; 2nd prize at the 27th Riccardo Zandonai Competition for Young Opera Singers (Riva del Garda, IT, 2021). Prize and award for the most beautifully performed song Ružičky at the 24th Mikulaš Schneider-Trnavsky Singing Competition (Trnava, SK, 2021); 2nd Prize in the Opera section and 1st Prize in the Opera section. He was also one of the winners of the online round of the Aria Borealis Competition (Bodø, NO, 2022) and winner of the Mahler Prize at the Gabriela Beñačková Competition (Jhilava, CZ, 2022). 

In addition to operas, he frequently appears as an oratorio and concert soloist (so far, among others, La caduta di Adamo and Dixit Dominus by B. Galuppi, Vespro della Beata Vergine by C. Monteverdi, Messiah and Il trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno by G. F. Händel, Te Deum and Messe a` 8 voix by M. A. Charpentier, G. B. Pergolesi's Stabat Mater, A. Vivaldi's Gloria, J. S. Bach's St. John, St. Matthew and St. Mark Passions as well as his Magnificat, Carl Orff's Carmina Burana alongside the famous soprano Sumi Jo, L. Bernstein's Chichester Psalms, A. Bruckner's Te Deum and many more.

He performs with the Croatian Radio Symphony Orchestra and Choir, is a permanent performer with the Croatian Baroque Ensemble (HRBA) and works with well-known conductors such as Marc Korovich, Ville Matvejeff, Laurence Cummings, Aapo Häkkinen, Luca Oberti, Hansjörg Albrecht, Hervè Niquet, Philipp von Steinaecker, Richard Rosemberg, Dorothee Oberlinger and Roman Valek.

In the 2023/24 season, spectacular roles and equally spectacular house debuts await Franko Klisovic. As Smeton (Anna Bolena), Franko will sing a new production at HNK Rijeka. With the Bachchor Heidelberg, Franko will sing the role of Hamor in Handel's Jephta at St. Peter's Church in Heidelberg in October 2023.  Franko will make his house debut as Sadnik (Nebucadnezzar) in December 2023 at the Theater Schwetzingen and will guest with this role at the Telemann Festival Magdeburg in March 2024. In November 2023, Franko will make his debut in the roles Roma and Religione (Il St. Alessio) at Hamburg's world-famous Elbphilharmonie. At the Theater Heidelberg, Franko will have the pleasure of presenting himself as Apollo (Death in Venice) and in the world premiere Zusammenstoss. In May 2024, the Croatian alto will devote himself to the role of Arcane in Handel's Teseo, which will be presented in concert at the Wroclaw Concert Hall and at the Halle Handel Festival.

(22/23_Please use this vita exclusively.)

Photos

Photo de presse A, ©Zvonimir Ferina
Photo de presse B, ©Zvonimir Ferina
Photo de presse C, ©Zvonimir Ferina

Schedule

20 04 2024

ZUSAMMENSTOß

Theater Heidelberg (DE)
25 04 2024

ZUSAMMENSTOß

Heidelberg Theater (DE)
27 04 2024

CONCERT

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