With Harald Serafin she was an “operetta dream couple”. On Wednesday, a day before her birthday, the chamber singer Mirjana Irosch died at the age of 84.
Chamber singer Mirjana Irosch, an honorary member of the Vienna Volksoper, died on Wednesday – a day before her 85th birthday. The opera house announced this late on Wednesday evening. She was one of the most famous and popular singers in the house in Vienna-Alsergrund, where she performed more than 1,400 times in 42 years.
“The Volksoper mourns the loss of a lovable singer, especially a collegian and a great artist,” said the Volksoper’s broadcast. She will remain “unforgotten” as an operetta diva, for example as Rosalinde in “Fledermaus”. With a total of 196 evenings, this was her most significant role.
From Zagreb via Bern to Vienna
Mirjana Irosch was born on October 24, 1939 in what is now Croatia, she studied singing in Zagreb and got her first engagement in Linz in 1962. This was followed by three years in Ulm, two years in Bern and appearing guest at the Zurich and Basel Operas before being hired by the Vienna Volksoper in 1967 – its parent company for many years.
With the actor and singer Harald Serafin, with whom she appeared for the first time in the premiere in 1967 as Jilka in Zoltan Kodaly’s opera “Hary Janos”, she established the “dream couple operetta” not only professionally. After the birth of their daughter Martina, who was also a singer, Irosch changed from mezzo to soprano. The marriage to Serafin later ended in divorce.
In 1984, the artist sang the Musette in Harry Kupfer’s acclaimed production of Puccini’s “Boheme”, among other great operatic roles were Marta in Eugen d’Albert’s “Tiefland” and Antonia and Giulietta from “The Tales of Hoffmann” by Jacques Offenbach. In the operetta section, she was “The Funny Widow”, Lisa from “Land of Smiles” and Saffi from “Gypsy Baron”.
On the Mörbisch stage
Irosch was appointed Austrian Chamber Singer in 1981 and was also awarded the Silver Medal of Honor of the City of Vienna in 1993, on numerous tours with the Volksoper – including to Japan and the USA. She also gave concerts, made radio and television recordings, recorded records and made guests at the Salzburg Festival and the Lake Mörbisch Festival.
Irosch was particularly visible in Mörbisch even after her great folk opera period in the early 2000s and took part, for example, in Kálmán’s plays “Gräfin Mariza” and “Die Csardasfürstin” directed by her ex-husband Serafin. Irosch is still connected to his former artistic home – through honorary membership. It is awarded to people who have achieved distinction through special and long-term service to the Volksoper. (APA)