Tenor Omer Kobiljak, born in Bosnia, has been praised by Bachtrack for his “high, luminous tenor.” During the 2023-2024 season, he returns to the ensemble at Opernhaus Zürich, where he sings Macduff in Macbeth conducted by Daniele Squeo, Vicomte Cascada in Die Lustige Witwe conducted by Patrick Hahn, Froh in Das Rheingold conducted by Gianandrea Noseda, Spitzel in Andrea Chénier conducted by Marco Armiliato, and Tebaldo in I vespri siciliani conducted by Ivan Repušić. In November 2023, Omer participates in the quarter-finals of Operalia in Cape Town.

Since arriving at Opernhaus Zürich during the 2019-2020 season, Mr. Kobiljak has sung a variety of roles, including Alfredo in La traviata conducted by Francesco Ivan Ciampa, Macduff in Macbeth conducted by Nicola Luisotti, Ismaele in Nabucco conducted by Donato Renzetti, Tebaldo in I Capuleti e i Montecchi conducted by Fabio Biondi, Ruiz in Il trovatore conducted by Gianandrea Noseda, Froh in Das Rheingold also conducted by Noseda, Cassio in Otello conducted by Daniele Rustioni, and Abdallo in Nabucco conducted by Fabio Luisi.

Other highlights include Alexis in Siberia, Yamadori in Madama Butterfly and Don Riccardo in Ernani for the Bregenzer Festspiele, his 2016 debut at Operettenbühne Hombrechtikon as Baron von Kronthal in Lortzing’s Der Wildschütz, and his 2017 debut at La Scala as one of the apprentices in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.

Mr. Kobiljak was trained by David Thorner, first at the Konservatorium Winterthur, where he studied from 2008 to 2013, and subsequently at the Kalaidos Fachhochschule in Aarau, Switzerland. Since 2010, he has also attended master classes given by Jane Thorner-Mengedoht, David Thorner, and Jens Fuhr. In 2012, he received received First Prize with distinction at the Thurgau Music Competition.