About Leon
Leon Košavić, young and talented baritone with international career and recipient of numerous awards, was born in 1991 and began his vocal education at the age of twelve.
Leon’s impressive biography starts with graduation and gaining a master’s degree at The Academy of Music in Zagreb in the class of Maestro Giorgio Surian.
His education is still ongoing.
Leon continued his vocal study and his professional development with three great vocal Maestros: Vitomir Marof, José van Dam and Giorgio Surian.
"The opera should give spectators the opportunity to relax and forget about external issues"
Leon Košavić, young baritone whose voice you will not forget, is one of the most promising and currently most sought after young Croatian baritone who conquers Europe.
Career beginnings
In 2011, he was awarded first prize at the Croatian national competition for students and made his debut as Moralés (Carmen) in a production of The Academy of Music. In the same year he started his professional career at The Croatian National Theatre as Papageno where he also performed Masetto, Moralés and most recently made his debut as Don Giovanni.
In 2013, he was awarded the Audience choice award at a competition for young artists, where he won the first prize at competition as well.
In 2014, Leon Košavić made his debut as Orfeo in Gluck´s Orfeo ed Euridice at Concert Hall Vatroslav Lisinski.
He participated in Ungarn für Deutschland, Opera for Europe 1989-2014 in Budapest where he performed in various opera programs.
At the Mirjam Helin International Singing Competition in Finland he won third prize.
Young Musician of the Year
Leon Košavić was proclaimed Young Musician of the Year and awarded by The Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra for his achievements in 2014.
In Finland, he performed as Pilate in Bach´s Johannes Passion with The Sinfonia Finlandia Jyväskylä the same year.
In March of 2015, Leon Kosavic was awarded first prize at prestiguos The Emmerich Smola Award.
He made his debut appearance as Don Giovanni at The Croatian National Theatre.
Also, he performed in gala concerts at Dubrovnik Summer Festival alongside with The Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Uros Lajovic.
In the same year he qualified for the finals of the prestigious Norwegian competiton „Queen Sonja International Music Competition“. Among more than 400 applicants, he was ultimately one of the 5 artists to enter the grand final.
In October 2015, Leon appeared multiple times as Dottor Malatesta in Donizetti’s Don Pasquale at Finnish National Opera in Helsinki, together with his mentor Giorgio Surian (on the right).
At the end of 2015, the awarding ceremony of the Croatian Theatre Arts’ Awards was held at the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb.
Leon Košavić has won the award in the category of outstanding achievement by young artists up to 30 years for his performance as Don Giovanni (W. A. Mozart).
In March of 2016, Leon performed with Croatian Radio-television’s Symphony Orchestra at the The Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall.
Also, he appeared in Mozart’ Mass in C minor in Bergen (Norway) as well alongside with Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and under the baton of great Nathalie Stutzmann.
Later that month, Leon performed in Liverpool with Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra where he sung Bach’s St Matthew Passion conducted by Nathalie Stutzmann.
In the meantime, Leon participated on the 9th International Stanisław Moniuszko Competition held in Warsaw where he finished among the top three and won the 3rd prize. He also won 1st prize for the best performed Polish operatic aria.
The Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall
Nathalie Stutzmann
Stanisław Moniuszko Competition
At the beginning of 2017, he performed in the leading role of Figaro in Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia at Finnish National Opera Helsinki and had the honor to perform in Mozart’s The Requiem Mass in D minor with London Philharmonic Orchestra in London, under the baton of Nathalie Stutzmann
On July 2017, Leon had his debut appearance at Royal Opera House Covent Garden in this prestigious opera house, which is alongside with Teatro alla Scala and Metropolitan Opera, without a doubt the world’s greatest and the most important opera houses.