Written by: Mladen Pleše Photos: Mara Bratoš
The staging of Rigoletto by Giuseppe Verdi, in which the leading roles are played by Marija Kuhar Šoša, the opera principal of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, and the brilliant young tenor Filip Filipović, was extremely well-received by the audience and critics alike. Marija Kuhar Šoša did not hold back from expressing the immense joy she felt after seeing they all perceived the character of Gilda exactly as she imagined and portrayed her on stage: “A strong and brave Gilda who is not afraid of her father because she believes in his love and fights with all her might to resist the urge for revenge.”
She admits that the applause is always music to her ears, especially when it’s accompanied by a “bravo” here and there…
– First, I take in the smiles of my colleagues and the audience, as well as the reaction of the orchestra. After that, I allow myself to break character and slowly go back to “factory settings”.
Although satisfied, she says that she immediately starts wondering which passages she should sing better next time, and which ones she should change and refine so that the performance does not become monotonous and boring in the eyes and ears of the audience.
– But I don’t only do it for the audience – I also do it for myself.
She tells us that she revels in the moments when she senses that the audience is all ears and feels.
– The silence of the spectators in the auditorium while I sing arias is both magical and terrifying; in this clash between the character I’m portraying and myself, who controls the vocal technique and emotions, I am able to step out of reality.
Having previously performed Gilda’s part at the Croatian National Theatre in Split, just before the coronavirus pandemic, she is already familiar with this role. In 2019, she also received the prestigious Milka Trnina award for her exceptional rendition of Gilda in Split
– I can say that the role of Gilda aged just right, making my interpretation more mature over time, and motivating me to introduce some novelties.
Although she boasts numerous major roles, the role of Gilda, along with her appearance in La Traviata, is considered to be the highlight of her career at the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb. She has performed regularly on that stage for 18 years, but up until recently, Marija Kuhar Šoša was not part of the permanent ensemble. This strikes us as odd, given her mesmerising and crystal clear voice. Most of her colleagues, for example, had no idea that Marija was not a regular there at all! She was hired full-time only after the arrival of the new intendant, Iva Hraste Sočo.
She had no connections, she says, or anyone to vouch for her, so her path looked like constant climbing up a steep hill. However, instead of giving in and falling into despondency, she chose the route of hard work, regular practise, and attendance at rehearsals…
She claims that she can set an example for other young singers, proving that hard work and patience pay off.
– It can be a tough row to hoe – it’s much easier when you have luck and make it at the beginning of your career, because that way you skip a considerable part of the uphill battle.
In athletic terms, she compares herself to a long-distance runner.
– My profession is a marathon, not a 100m sprint. And in the long run, the effort pays off in more ways than one. I think I sing better now than I used to; I’m getting way better with time – hell, I’m the opera principal of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, which is a big deal for me.
Although she still often comes across people who are surprised by her ability to make a living from singing, it does, indeed, “pay her bills”.
– I often openly tell students that we’re producing a work of art – music – and we have the right to charge for it.
Marija Kuhar Šoša has sung in almost thirty operas so far: she performed as Adina in The Elixir of Love, Norina in Don Pasquale, Pamina in The Magic Flute, Jelena in Nikola Šubić Zrinski, Lisette in La Rondine, Gilda in Rigoletto and Violetta Valery in La Traviata. The role of Violetta, she claims, transformed her both as a singer and a person.
– I worked on it very meticulously, so I got to know all the nuances of that role, which allowed me to bring it to (eternal) life using my knowledge and techniques.
Her experience as vocal professor has also proved beneficial in preparing for roles. Marija Kuhar Šoša studied Singing and Music Education at the Academy of Music, after which she taught at the Juraj Dobrila University in Pula from 2015 to 2022, as assistant vocal professor at the Academy of Music.
She has continued her teaching career as adjunct professor at the Singing Department of the Academy of Music in Zagreb, where she teaches two courses.
From the start, she lets her students know just how arduous the path to success is, and she also teaches them that there are two sides of the coin that bargain for the treasure of art.
– If you’re willing to put in the work, you can be a singer – but if you’re only in it for the glamour, you’ve missed your calling – she lectures them.
As a teenager, she spent a year singing for a popular band known as Gustafi.
– Thanks to that, I gained the experience of performing in front of live audiences, so today I feel at home on stage.
During her college days in Zagreb, she lived in a dorm in Lašćina, where she met her husband, Mario Šoša, a pianist and professor at the Academy of Music.
– Musicians lived in Pavilion No. 3 and many relationships and marriages started off there – she says through laughter.
When asked about the biggest challenges she faced over the course of her career, she said that she had to come to terms with making many sacrifices.
– While my friends and acquaintances are out and about, enjoying everyday activities and facing everyday challenges, I’m regularly in some sort of quarantine. Of course, this also has to do with my personal tendencies. I’m responsible and sometimes I can go overboard, but that’s just the way I am. I can’t help it.
In the weeks leading up to the performance, she only attends final rehearsals and does not go anywhere else.
– My husband and my daughter Dora get it and they help me feel good about my decisions – she claims.
In times when many argue that opera is an outdated form of musical expression, that it doesn’t go well with the mindset of modern man, Marija Kuhar Šoša insists that opera must never become a dusty museum exhibit.
– Opera should question human reality, accept changes that are a part of life, but also allow for a broader view of the human spirit and needs. That would put an end to debates over the inability of modern man to relate to it.
She points out that all operas and music compositions in general, be they old, classical or contemporary, always revolve around the human need for expression and sensation.
– In this day and age, opera must introduce certain novelties in a smart way that serves the art itself, not strictly for the sake of pulling a crowd. In my opinion, opera must touch the ears and hearts of the audiences on the spot, in direct contact with the artists at the theatre.
She owes her vocal stamina and capabilities to a healthy work-life balance.
– I adapt to the role requirements and regularly write down my reflections on techniques and music. I save these “recipes” for crisis situations. You can always find crib notes in my books and on the piano.
This season, she is playing Adele in The Bat, Despina in Così fan tutte, Violetta Valery in La Traviata, Musetta in La bohème, Susanne in The Secret of Susanne and Danica in Stanac at the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb. In the summer, she will hold a recital with her husband, as well as several other performances that are yet to be arranged.
Together with her husband, she is recording an album of songs by composer, pianist and educator Ivana Lang.
– She is the mother of my high school vocal teacher, Kristina Beck Kukavčić, and my husband studied under the professor Ljubomir Gašparović, who in turn was a student of Ivana Lang.
Her artistic collaboration with her husband began with their performance of Ivana Lang’s cycle of Five Istrian Songs.
– They hold a special place in my heart because they combine Istrian melos with classical singing and complex piano chords. Just the thing that inspires us.
She emphasises that the beauty of her oeuvre of solo songs is what brought them together.
– The deep sense of intimacy that she expresses in her songs, not imposing it with populist musical choices, but rather staying truthful to her musical narrative, is a true source of inspiration for me.
She owes her lean physique to a healthy diet and regular exercise. She steers clear of alcohol, cigarettes, and spicy food, she takes care of her health, and she has a small pharmacy with vitamin preparations at home just in case.
In her spare time, she does not really listen to classical music that often because there is too much of it in her home.
– My daughter practises in the living room, my pianist husband upstairs, so it would just be too much for me to listen to opera in the same space. I don’t even listen to classical music while driving.
She states that it is wonderful to be married to a musician.
– In our household, we talk about everything, including work. We tell each other what bothers us, and we encourage each other. We are trying to be critical, but also gentle towards the reality around us. And a pianist in the house comes in handy for me, although I don’t exploit that (laughs).
The birth of their daughter has not changed their work pace; it just made time-management somewhat more demanding.
– Lucky for us, today it is common for both parents to equally participate in raising a child, so when I go to rehearsals and performances, my husband takes care of the child, and vice versa.
She recalls that after giving birth, she immediately went back to performing.
– Truth be told, I did feel guilty for leaving a small baby without her mom for a few hours, but let’s be real: there’s nothing wrong with that – she has a father as well. So it’s a non-zero-sum game.
It was more difficult to reconcile work and family life when she travelled to Pula every week to give lectures.
– During those seven years, we all had to make a lot of sacrifices…
She admits to being confused and scared after learning that one of her moles was malignant.
– It all sounded so scary at first, especially since it had to be removed ASAP. That urgency made me all the more concerned. But, fortunately, all ended well.
Those were, she claims, stressful days for the whole family, but she was still aware that it was far from a serious affliction. – It still left a mark on me, though. I’ve changed. I actually became happier and more satisfied, optimistic, cheerful… but at the same time, more realistic. And yes, I regularly go for check-ups… – our opera star concludes
