National Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame and Museum
605 East 222nd Street
Euclid, OH 44123
USA
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GLASBENA MATICA is one of America's most highly regarded Slovenian choruses, having
presented operas and classical works at the SLOVENIAN NATIONAL HOME on St. Clair
Ave. It originated in 1930 as Samostojna (Independent) Zarja, an offshoot of the
ZARJA SINGING SOCIETY. Samostojna Zarja was made up of many of the original group's
strongest talents and led by JOHN IVANUSCH†, director of the original group and its
other offshoot, Socialisticna (Socialist) Zarja. Samostojna Zarja debuted with a
Slovenian folk opera and reprised the work for the Theater of Nations festival at
PUBLIC AUDITORIUM. Throughout the 1930s, concerts alternated with staged works such
as Ivanusch's Turjaska Rozamunda, Smetana's Hubicka in Czech, and a Croatian opera.
A 1932 performance of Flotow's Martha, with a cast of 80, was acclaimed by the CLEVELAND
PRESS as one of the best musical productions of the year. Ivanusch resigned in 1940,
and the group changed its name to Glasbena Matica (the Music Society). Anton Schubel
of the Metropolitan Opera Chorus directed for 2 years, followed by local poet and
composer IVAN ZORMAN†. Schubel returned in 1949 and resumed regular productions of
standard operas in Slovenian, such as Carmen, La Traviata, Mignon, and The Tales
of Hoffman. A new generation of singers included June Price, Ann Safred, and Edward
Kenik. After Schubel's death in 1965, the chorus was led by Valentina Fillinger and
then by Vladimir Maleckar in semi-
Inducted in 2010
National Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame
Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient
GLASBENA MATICA
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