A Career Built Across Stages and Continents
Jelena Štefanić has developed an international career that brings together artistic excellence, versatility and cultural leadership. A Croatian soprano with a repertoire spanning Baroque heroines, Mozart, Bellini, Verdi, Puccini and operetta, she began her stage career at just 16. Since then, her work has taken her across Europe, Asia and North America, while also establishing her as an artistic leader beyond the traditional opera stage.
Her musical education began in her hometown of Varaždin before she continued her vocal and opera studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. This foundation has supported a career encompassing major opera houses, concert halls and festivals, as well as original cultural projects and festival leadership.
An International Performing Career
Štefanić has performed in a wide range of productions and venues, including Volksoper Vienna, Catania, Teatro Greco in Taormina, OperaMaya Festival in Mexico and Savonlinna Opera Festival in Finland. Her international appearances have also extended to NCPA China, Bunka Kaikan Spring Festival in Japan, Schlosstheater Schönbrunn in Austria, State Opera Bulgaria, State Opera Bishkek and stages in the United Kingdom.
Her repertoire reflects both breadth and dramatic range. Among her roles and concert repertoire are Violetta in La Traviata, Leonora in Il Trovatore, Elettra in Idomeneo, Vitellia, Konstanze in Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus and soprano soloist in Verdi’s Requiem, alongside Vier Letzte Lieder by Richard Strauss.
Carnegie Hall and International Recognition
A significant milestone in Štefanić’s career came with her Carnegie Hall debut in New York in 2023, followed by a return to the same stage in 2024. Her career also includes an invitation to Plácido Domingo’s Operalia competition, where she became the first and, to date, only Croatian soprano invited, according to her professional biography.
In 2023, she received second prize at the American International Music Competition in Cleveland. In 2026, she was recognised with the Leonardo da Vinci Prize for contribution in art, with the award being presented in the field of music for the first time that year. These distinctions form part of a broader career defined by international performance, continued artistic development and cultural representation.
Beyond Opera: Concerts and Original Projects
Štefanić’s work extends well beyond staged opera. Her concert career has included solo appearances at Musikverein Graz, Musikverein Wien, the Croatian National Theatre in Varaždin, Hangzhou Grand Theatre, Suzhou Grand Theatre, Ningbo Grand Theatre, Opera Kensington in London and the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
She has also developed original projects that connect Croatian musical heritage with international audiences. Croatian Jewels and Around the World in Nine Songs received support from the Croatian Ministry of Culture and Media and were subsequently broadcast internationally, including through TV Classique in Versailles and Sparrow Live in the United States.
Since 2016, she has also participated in Concert in the Dark. Her recorded work includes the 2016 album Dva glasa (Two Voices), released by AULOS in collaboration with Ruža Pospiš Baldani.
Artistic Leadership at NOcTEs Aquae Iasae
Since 2021, Štefanić has served as Artistic Director of Classic Festival NOcTEs Aquae Iasae in Croatia. Described as a small but rapidly growing festival, it represents another dimension of her professional work: creating opportunities for ambitious artistic programming while connecting culture with a distinctive local setting.
Her role demonstrates that an opera career can extend beyond performance itself. Artistic direction requires programming, collaboration, creative decision-making and a long-term view of how audiences experience culture. Through NOcTEs Aquae Iasae, Štefanić has added cultural entrepreneurship and leadership to an already extensive performing career.
Recent Work and the Road Ahead
Recent engagements have included Glagolic Requiem by Kljaić at Festival Zagreb, a recording project with the Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic Orchestra featuring Manon Lescaut arias, recitals at the National Theatre in Varaždin, Stabat Mater at the jubilee 55th Varaždin Baroque Evenings Festival, Nancyphonies Festival in Nancy, France, Alto Largo Music Festival at Lago di Como, and the grand opening of Harp Festival Zagreb. Her recent stage work has also included Elettra in Idomeneo and Gerhilde in Die Walküre.
The 2026/2027 and 2027/2028 seasons point toward another period of artistic expansion, with planned appearances including Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana in Noto, Italy, Elisabetta in Maria Stuarda, Tosca and Mimì in La Bohème.
For Štefanić, the trajectory is one of continuous movement: between opera and concert work, performance and artistic leadership, Croatian cultural identity and international stages. Her career illustrates how a classical artist can build a multifaceted professional path through discipline, versatility and a willingness to create new cultural projects alongside traditional performance.
