Antonio Smareglia was born in Pola, in the Istrian peninsula, then part of the Austrian Empire.
In the house where he was born in Via Nettuno, there is now a small museum of his life and work.
His father Francesco Smareglia from Pola[1] was Italian, his mother Giulia Stiglich from Lovran was Croatian.
[2] The composer chose to set his most famous opera, Nozze istriane, in his grandfather's village,[2] Dignano d'Istria.
Since then he composed his music dictating to his sons, Ariberto and Mario, and to his students and friends including Primo dalla Zonca, Gastone Zuccoli, and Vito Levi.