Giorgio Surian
Principal National Opera Soloist Giorgio Surian, bass-baritone, born in Rijeka, is one of the most significant Croatian opera singers in history. He received his musical education at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana and conservatories in Trieste and Padova, and completed his artistic training at the prestigious Teatro alla Scala in Milan.
At the age of twenty, he debuted at the HNK Ivana pl. Zajca in Rijeka, and subsequently continued his career on the world’s leading opera stages, including Teatro alla Scala, Metropolitan Opera, Vienna State Opera, Arena di Verona, Opéra National de Paris, Royal Opera House, Gran Teatre del Liceu, Bolshoi Theatre, Teatro Real, and the Salzburg Festival. Throughout his career, he has performed over 160 bass and bass-baritone roles, distinguishing himself through vocal versatility, commanding stage presence, and stylistic mastery.
Alongside his remarkable performing career, Surian has been a dedicated vocal pedagogue at the Academy of Music, University of Zagreb since 2008, imparting his exceptional mentorship to generations of singers, including the internationally acclaimed baritone Leon Košavić and tenor Filip Filipović.
For his contributions to musical art, he has received numerous awards and honors, including the Order of Danica Hrvatska and the Milka Trnina, Vladimir Ruždjak, and Milan Pihler Awards. From 2021 to 2022, he served as Director of Opera department at the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb.