4784) "Nikola Šubić-Zrinjski", Bosnia & Herzegovina (BIH): 150th Anniversary of the Opera (1876-2026): HP Mostar (Hrvatska pošta Mostar) has issued a postage stamp of 1.80 BAM depicting the famous Opera on the "Battle of Szigetvár of 1566": Date/Year of Stamp issue: 04.11.2026:
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150th Anniversary of the Opera -"Nikola Šubić-Zrinjski" (1876-2026:
"Nikola Šubić-Zrinjski" is an opera by Ivan pl. Zajc with a libretto by Hugo Badalić about the Ottoman siege of Szigetvár and the heroism of Nikola Šubić Zrinski (Zrinjski).
It is one of the most popular and frequently performed Croatian musical stage works. The premiere, conducted by the composer himself, was performed on 4 November 1876, at the National State Theatre in Zagreb.
The storyline:
It is a retelling of the Battle of Szigetvár of 1566, in which Nikola IV Zrinski, Ban of Croatia and captain of the assembled Croatian and Hungarian forces, took a heroic last stand against overwhelming Ottoman forces, led personally by Suleiman the Magnificent.
Though the fortress fell, the defenders inflicted grievous injuries on the assaulting forces, all but crippling the victors' ability to progress past the Croatian-Hungarian border and causing the death of the sultan himself.
The opera premiered in Zagreb on 4 November 1876, at what was then the People's Theatre housed in the present-day Old City Hall building.
It was well received by audiences and critics alike. Its enduring fame is due in large part to its climactic chorus, "U boj, u boj!" (To battle, to battle!), written by the composer ten years prior to the rest of the opera.
Nikola Šubić Zrinjski remains a staple of the opera repertoire, having seen more than a total of 800 performances so far.
It has achieved lasting popularity as a Croatian patriotic song, removed from the context of the opera, as well as a Japanese glee club staple.
Its recordings include one
conducted by Milan Sachs.
The Plot:
The plot is set in the fortress of Szigetvár in September 1566, during the Turkish siege.
The fortress is defended by commander Nikola Šubić Zrinski, along with his officers and 2,500 soldiers. It is attacked by about 100,000 Turks under the command of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, who had set out to conquer Vienna.
The Sultan dies a natural death, but his death is kept a secret to prevent a rebellion in the army.
The siege continues, and after the city is set on fire, Nikola Šubić Zrinski and the remaining survivors launch a charge on 7 September in which almost all of them perish.
Weakened and with heavy losses, the Turks abandoned the conquest of Vienna.
The opera's finale, "U boj" (To Battle), was written in 1866 by Franjo Marković and composed by Ivan Zajc. It was later incorporated into Zajc's opera.
It gained great popularity in Japan, where it was brought by Croatian sailors during the withdrawal of the Austro-Hungarian army from the Russian Far East after World War I.
The Stamp:
Technical details:
Issue Date: 04.11.2026
Designer: Magdalena Džinić
Hrkać
Printer: AKD d.o.o. Zagreb
Size: 25.56 mm x 35.50 mm
Values: 1.80 BAM
Santosh Khanna has commented: ·
ReplyDelete"Thanks for sharing this informative post."
Thank you so much, Khanna sahab.
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