In memoriam Ivica KrajačFrom the theatre — 15. November 2024.
Ivica Krajač, the great Croatian stage director, composer, singer and songwriter died on November 7, 2024 in Zagreb. He was born in Belgrade on April 2, 1938 and completed his high school studies in 1956. He graduated music pedagogy at the Faculty of Pedagogy in Zagreb in 1971 and theatre studies at the Academy of Dramatic Art in the class of Kosta Spaić in 1982. Later on he was his assistant.
From 1984 to 1998 he was employed as a stage director in the Opera of the CNT in Zagreb. He directed around 40 operas, operettas and drama performances, just to mention a few: Dalmaro and Stanac (J. Gotovac, 1983), The Barber of Seville (G. Rossini, 1987), Othello and Aida (G. Verdi, 1987 i 1989), Adriana Lecouvreur (F. Cilèa, 1990), Cavalleria rusticana (P. Mascagni, 1993), CNT in Osijek (Rita, Zrinjski, Lꞌelisir dꞌamore, Martha, Così fan tutte, Ero the Joker, Little Floramye, Slavonic Rhapsody, Teaterdirektor) and in other theatres he staged titles such as The Bat, Rigoletto, La Traviata, Tosca, Gianni Schicchi, Carmen, Ivan Susanin and Norma). He is known for being the librettist of rock-operas Gubec-beg and Grička vještica (The Witch from Grič), music legend Crna kraljica (The Black Queen) and comic opera Tajna krapinskega kluča (The Secret of the Key of Krapina) staged in the Zagreb City Theatre Komedija. He wrote librettos and staged musicals for children such as Priča sa Zapadnog kolodvora (The Story of the Western Train Station) and Vrtoglavica (Vertigo). He wrote texts for cantata Credo, for Legenda o mojoj zemlji (The Legend about my Homeland) by B. Papandopulo andfor the vocal and instrumental works composed by Prohask such as Femina, ae, f. and Krici za Kroaciju. He translated drama literature, opera and musical librettos such as Aria da capo, Sloboda u Sračincima (Freedom in Sračinci), Opera za tri groša (The Threepenny Opera) and Aplauz. As a singer of popular music he performed as a soloist but also in duets and he was also the founder and member of the famous vocal quartet 4M. He had many tours abroad, received numerous awards at festivals and made over 60 gramophone records. As a composer and songwriter of popular songs and chansons, he was awarded thirty times at local and international festivals of popular music. As a member of the 4M quartet he received the Porin Life-achievement award in 1995.
