Opera Singer. A lyric tenor once called "the world's youngest tenor, he is remembered for his career at the Croatian National Opera. Raised in his country's capital, he studied locally and at the Vienna Conservatory prior to his 1967 professional bow at Splitu as Ernesto from Donizetti's "Don Pasquale". Joining the Vienna Volkesoper in 1969, he made his debut as the hapless Nemorino in Donizetti's "L'Elisir d'Amore", then in 1973 moved on to the Croatian National Opera where he remained. Over the years, he made his name in the staples of the lyric repertoire including Pollione from Bellini's "Norma", Rodolfo of Puccini's "La Boheme", Alfredo from Verdi's "La Traviata", Count Almaviva in Rossini's "The Barber of Saville", LT B.F. Pinkerton from Puccini's "Madame Butterfly", and the title of Offenbach's "The Tales of Hoffmann". For a number of years a recitalist who performed both lieder and popular songs, after leaving the stage, he became an operatic director of note and served for a time in the Croatian Diplomatic Service. In 2005, he was awarded the Milka Ternina Prize; Mr. Cigoj died following a 26 year battle with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma leaving a significant recorded legacy.
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