Ante Jerkunica was born in Split, Croatia. He studied at the Music School of Split, and in 2004 he graduated at the Music Acadamy of Lovran. Master classes followed with Renata Scotto and Olivera Miljacovic. In 2005 he won First Prize at the National Competition in Zagreb.

Performances at Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb and at Split National Theatre included Oroveso Norma, Raimondo Lucia di Lammermoor, Wurm Luisa Miller, Gremin Eugene Onegin, Sarastro Die Zauberflöte, King Aida, Commendatore Don Giovanni, as well as Mozart's Requiem at Zadar Music Festival.

He made his debut in Germany in 2006 at the State Theatre Hanover as Sarastro Die Zauberflöte, followed by Samuel Un ballo in maschera for Deutsche Opera Berlin and Old Farmer Arianne et Barbe-Bleu at Konzerthaus Vienna.

During the 2006/07 season Ante Jerkunica holds a scholarship from the F-J Weisweiler-Foundation at the Deutsche Opera Berlin, where he is singing Giovanni Filippo Palm Germania and Ashby La fanciulla del West, also bass St Matthew Passion and Simone Gianni Schicchi.

He is also a guest of the Théâtre de la Monnaie, Brussels, where he will be singing Faust in Prokofiev's Fiery Angel.

Ante Jerkunica's interests include reading and going to the gym.

Repertoire details for Concert 1:

Concert 1 - Sunday 10 June

• Verdi: A te l'estremo addio...Il lacerato spirito (Simon Boccanegra)
• Massenet: Dors, ò cité perverse!...Astres étincelants (Hérodiade)
• Verdi: Che mai vegg'io...Infelice!...e tuo credevi...Infin che un brando vindice (Ernani)

With the orchestra of WNO conducted by Carlo Rizzi