Željka Barišić Pulig

Željka Barišić Pulig was born in Osijek, where she completed her primary and secondary education at the Franjo Kuhač School of Music. In 1991, she graduated from the Faculty of Music in Belgrade in the class of Professor Ljubiša Petruševski. She is the recipient of several first prizes at republican and federal competitions in the former Yugoslavia. From 1992 to 1994, she pursued postgraduate studies (perfectionnement) at the Conservatoire de Musique de Genève in the class of Professor Jean-Pierre Sourget, and in 1998 she completed pedagogical and psychological training at the Faculty of Education in Osijek.

She began collaborating with the Orchestra of the Croatian National Theatre in Osijek in 1985, and from 1990 to 1995 she was permanently engaged as Principal Oboe of the Opera. During the same period, she also worked as a professor of oboe and chamber music at the Franjo Kuhač School of Music. From 1995 to 2003, she served as Principal Oboe of the Orchestra of the Opera of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, and from 2003 she performed as English horn player in the same orchestra.

She has also served as a member of several international juries at competitions for young musicians.

She has appeared as a soloist and chamber musician at many leading music festivals, including the Dubrovnik Summer Festival, Osor Musical Evenings, and the Varaždin Baroque Evenings. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with numerous orchestras and ensembles, including the Croatian Chamber Orchestra, Osijek Chamber Orchestra, Varaždin Chamber Orchestra, Komedija Municipal Theatre, Trešnja Municipal Theatre, the Croatian Serenades Ensemble, Elfi Wind Quintet, Zagreb Soloists, the Orchestra of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia, Cantus Ensemble, Opera BB, and the Col Legno Ensemble.

Critics have described her performances as distinguished and deeply impressive, noting that her English horn has emerged as a powerful reminder that this instrument has remained unjustly overlooked to this day. She has been portrayed as an oboist whose deeply expressive interpretations combine musicality and outstanding technique, but above all reflect an artistic integrity of the highest order—one that fully honours the values of the musical text while giving them a distinctive personal voice.

She served two terms as a member of the Central Committee of the Trade Union of Employees in Culture, from 2013 to 2022.

Since 2022, she has been a certified mediator.

She became a member of the Theatre Council of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb in 2018, and from 2021 also served as Vice-Chair of the Theatre Council. In 2022, she was elected for a second term as a representative of the artists, but stepped down from the position in order to assume the role of Acting Director of the Opera.

She is the first woman in history to lead this most complex artistic division of Croatia’s national theatre. During her tenure, the Opera has undergone significant artistic and organisational development, both in terms of repertoire and personnel, marked by the continuous strengthening of the ensemble and the diversification of its programme, with a particular focus on developing young audiences.

This programming breakthrough has resulted in record attendance at opera performances and a visible growth in audience interest, while at the same time expanding audience development programmes and strengthening the Opera’s presence in the public sphere.

During this period, numerous major international projects and guest appearances were realised, among which the Zagreb Opera Festival stands out as a particularly significant achievement.

From 2022 to 2026, the Opera of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb established Zagreb as a relevant operatic centre, achieved significant international recognition and critical acclaim, and received a series of awards for its artists and productions.