One hundred and fifty performances in a single year defined the initial impact of Srebrenka Jurinac following her 1946 arrival at the Vienna State Opera. Known professionally as Sena, this Bosnian-born performer transitioned from an early stage presence in film to a four-decade tenure as a central figure within the Austrian operatic ensemble.
Early Career and Viennese Debut
Born in 1921 in Travnik, Jurinac studied at the Zagreb Academy of Music with Milka Kostrenčić. Her professional debut occurred in Zagreb in 1942 as Mimi. In 1944, she featured in the Croatian film Lisinski before receiving an invitation to join the Vienna State Opera. While Karl Böhm’s staff introduced the stage name Sena to simplify pronunciation for local audiences, the closure of the opera house due to war delayed her debut until 1946. She eventually earned the title of Kammersängerin and held honorary membership with the company.
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Jurinac possessed a vocal range positioned between soprano and mezzo-soprano, allowing her to master diverse roles. Her stage credits included Popp, Elisabetta, Desdemona, Elisabeth, and Jenůfa. She frequently performed multiple parts within the same operas, such as both Cherubino and the Countess Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro, or the roles of Octavian and the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier. Her film portrayal of Octavian, conducted by Herbert von Karajan, documents her technique.
International Engagements
Beyond Vienna, Jurinac performed at the Salzburg Festival beginning in 1947 and appeared at Covent Garden. She sang the principal Mozart soprano roles at Glyndebourne between 1951 and 1956 and completed her American debut as Madama Butterfly in San Francisco in 1959. Her discography includes the 1951 recording of Richard Strauss's Four Last Songs. Following her final operatic performance in 1982, she transitioned into master class instruction and served on international competition juries.
Fast facts
- Born: 1921, Travnik
- Died: 2011, Hainhofen
- Citizenship: Austria; Germany
- Occupations: Actor, Opera singer
- Awards: Grand Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria
- Burial site: Döbling Cemetery
Questions readers ask
Was Sena Jurinac her birth name?
No, her birth name was Srebrenka Jurinac. The name Sena was adopted at the suggestion of Karl Böhm's secretary in 1944 to facilitate easier pronunciation for Austrian audiences.
Did she perform in films?
Yes, she appeared in the 1944 film Lisinski and her performance as Octavian was preserved in the 1960s Paul Czinner film production of Der Rosenkavalier.
Achievements
- Instruments: voice
