Emil Pollert
Encyclopedia
Emil Pollert, born Emil Popper (20 January 1877 , Liblice
at Mělník
- 23 October 1935, Prague
) was a Czech opera singer at the National Theatre
in Prague, in his time the main representative of bass
roles.
in the season 1898-1899, following which he was recommended to the National Theatre and immediately accepted.
Pollert's voice was strong and granular, extremely resonant, with an extraordinary range, its color gradually cultivated into a soft and velvety tone. He was regarded as particularly suited to comedic roles, which he played realistically, with a tendency to naturalism.
His debut was in the dramatic opera Byl jednou jeden král. Following this, successful performances followed in such operas as Dalibor, Tannhäuser
, Rusalka
and The Bartered Bride
. He gradually gained fame for his performance in comic roles. After the retirement of prominent bassist Vaclav Kliment, Pollert took his place at the center of the stage, representing a total of 221 roles in more than 5,000 performances.
Besides performing in operatic roles, he was involved in the production of several ballet
s and starred in the comic operetta
, The Mikado
. He directed 12 operas himself. He founded and led an organization for soloists of the National Theatre, and from 1920 to 1922, was Director of Opera and Theater at the Švandovo Arena in Prague. In 1927, he was awarded the State Prize for his excellent work in the National Theatre.
Pollert died in Prague of a heart attack in 1935 just before his scheduled appearance in the role of Boniface in Bedřich Smetana
's The Secret
. He is buried at the Vinohrady
cemetery. The National Theatre features a bust of Pollert, created by sculptor Charles Dvorak
.
, Bucharest
, Vienna
and many places in Bohemia
. He developed the character in detail, not only singing but acting, with special emphasis on gesture, facial expressions and body positioning. Critics praised both his forceful comic and accurate vocal performance. He performed this role at the anniversary of the opera at the National Theatre. His performance as Kecal was recorded in 1933 (where he was conducted by Otakar Ostrcil
) and preserved twice on film: in a silent version of 1913 (directed by Max Urban) and one with sound of 1933 (film director, Svatopluk Innemann
; theater director, Jaroslav Kvapil
).
Liblice
Liblice is a village in Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It is located 9 km southeast of Mělník and 28 km northeast of Prague. The population is 483 ....
at Mělník
Melnik
-Places:Bulgaria* Melnik, Bulgaria, a town in Bulgaria* Shiroka Melnishka Losa, a Bulgarian wine grape also known as MelnikCzech Republic* Mělník, a townUnited States* Melnik, Wisconsin, an unincorporated community...
- 23 October 1935, Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
) was a Czech opera singer at the National Theatre
National Theatre (Prague)
The National Theatre in Prague is known as the Alma Mater of Czech opera, and as the national monument of Czech history and art.The National Theatre belongs to the most important Czech cultural institutions, with a rich artistic tradition which was created and maintained by the most distinguished...
in Prague, in his time the main representative of bass
Bass (voice type)
A bass is a type of male singing voice and possesses the lowest vocal range of all voice types. According to The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, a bass is typically classified as having a range extending from around the second E below middle C to the E above middle C...
roles.
Life
Pollert's talen was discovered by his brother, who in his adulthood financed his singing lessons with Francis Pivoda and Moritz Wallerstein. His study did not last long; he was engaged in OlomoucOlomouc
Olomouc is a city in Moravia, in the east of the Czech Republic. The city is located on the Morava river and is the ecclesiastical metropolis and historical capital city of Moravia. Nowadays, it is an administrative centre of the Olomouc Region and sixth largest city in the Czech Republic...
in the season 1898-1899, following which he was recommended to the National Theatre and immediately accepted.
Pollert's voice was strong and granular, extremely resonant, with an extraordinary range, its color gradually cultivated into a soft and velvety tone. He was regarded as particularly suited to comedic roles, which he played realistically, with a tendency to naturalism.
His debut was in the dramatic opera Byl jednou jeden král. Following this, successful performances followed in such operas as Dalibor, Tannhäuser
Tannhäuser (opera)
Tannhäuser is an opera in three acts, music and text by Richard Wagner, based on the two German legends of Tannhäuser and the song contest at Wartburg...
, Rusalka
Rusalka (opera)
Rusalka is an opera by Antonín Dvořák. The Czech libretto was written by the poet Jaroslav Kvapil based on the fairy tales of Karel Jaromír Erben and Božena Němcová. Rusalka is one of the most successful Czech operas, and represents a cornerstone of the repertoire of Czech opera houses...
and The Bartered Bride
The Bartered Bride
The Bartered Bride is a comic opera in three acts by the Czech composer Bedřich Smetana, to a libretto by Karel Sabina. The opera is considered to have made a major contribution towards the development of Czech music. It was composed during the period 1863–66, and first performed at the...
. He gradually gained fame for his performance in comic roles. After the retirement of prominent bassist Vaclav Kliment, Pollert took his place at the center of the stage, representing a total of 221 roles in more than 5,000 performances.
Besides performing in operatic roles, he was involved in the production of several ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
s and starred in the comic operetta
Comic opera
Comic opera denotes a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a happy ending.Forms of comic opera first developed in late 17th-century Italy. By the 1730s, a new operatic genre, opera buffa, emerged as an alternative to opera seria...
, The Mikado
The Mikado
The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, their ninth of fourteen operatic collaborations...
. He directed 12 operas himself. He founded and led an organization for soloists of the National Theatre, and from 1920 to 1922, was Director of Opera and Theater at the Švandovo Arena in Prague. In 1927, he was awarded the State Prize for his excellent work in the National Theatre.
Pollert died in Prague of a heart attack in 1935 just before his scheduled appearance in the role of Boniface in Bedřich Smetana
Bedrich Smetana
Bedřich Smetana was a Czech composer who pioneered the development of a musical style which became closely identified with his country's aspirations to independent statehood. He is thus widely regarded in his homeland as the father of Czech music...
's The Secret
The Secret (opera)
The Secret is a comic opera in three acts by Bedřich Smetana. The libretto was written by Eliška Krásnohorská. The premiere took place September 18, 1878 at the Nové České Divadlo in Prague.-Background:...
. He is buried at the Vinohrady
Vinohrady
Vinohrady is a cadastral district in Prague. It is so named because the area was once covered in vineyards dating from the 14th century...
cemetery. The National Theatre features a bust of Pollert, created by sculptor Charles Dvorak
Charles Dvorak
Charles Edward Dvorak was an American track and field athlete who specialized in the pole vault. He attended the University of Michigan where he competed for the Michigan Wolverines men's track and field team from 1900 to 1904. He participated in the 1900 Summer Olympics where he was a favorite...
.
Notable performances
He focused particularly on roles by Czech composers, particularly those by Smetana. He sang Kecal in The Bartered Bride in WarsawWarsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
and many places in Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
. He developed the character in detail, not only singing but acting, with special emphasis on gesture, facial expressions and body positioning. Critics praised both his forceful comic and accurate vocal performance. He performed this role at the anniversary of the opera at the National Theatre. His performance as Kecal was recorded in 1933 (where he was conducted by Otakar Ostrcil
Otakar Ostrcil
Otakar Ostrčil was a Czech composer and conductor. He is noted for symphonic works Impromptu, Suite in C Minor, and Symfonietta, and in his opera compositions Poupě and Honzovo království.-Compositional career:Ostrčil was born in Prague, where he spent his entire life, as it was the center of the...
) and preserved twice on film: in a silent version of 1913 (directed by Max Urban) and one with sound of 1933 (film director, Svatopluk Innemann
Svatopluk Innemann
Svatopluk Innemann was a Czech film director, cinematographer, screenwriter, film editor and actor. Innemann, brother of Miroslav Innemann and Liduška Innemannová, was one of the pioneers of Czech cinema....
; theater director, Jaroslav Kvapil
Jaroslav Kvapil
Jaroslav Kvapil was a Czech poet, playwright, and librettist. From 1900 he was a director and Dramaturg at the National Theatre in Prague, where he introduced plays by Anton Chekhov, Henrik Ibsen and Maxim Gorky into the repertory. Later he was a director at the Vinohrady Theatre...
).