Zdeněk Otava
Encyclopedia
Zdeněk Otava was a Czech opera
tic baritone
who had a length career at the Prague National Theatre
that spanned more than four decades. Musicologist Alena Němcová stated that, "Otava's voice had a very wide vocal range
and a marked intensity, and while light, was extremely varied in colour, with an even tone, free of vibrato; his diction was absolutely clear." In addition to his opera career, he was also a successful recitalist, particularly known for his performances of the contemporary Czech repertoire. His voice is preserved on a number of recordings made on the Supraphon
label.
, worked as a choirboy
in Brno
where his singing drew the praise of Leoš Janáček
. In his youth he studied violin and piano with Bohuslav Martinů
. He initially wanted to become a teacher like his father and attended the College of Education in Brno, at which time he pursued further music studies privately with Janáček. After singing lessons with Bohumil Benoni in Prague, he studied opera further in Rome with Riccardo Stracciari
and then in Milan and Vienna.
In 1935 he made his professional opera début at the Slovak National Theatre
in Bratislava as Iago in Otello
. A year later was engaged by the Mahen Theatre
in Brno with which he sang Baron Prus in the première of Janáček’s The Makropulos Affair and the title role in Ernst Krenek
’s Jonny spielt auf
.
From 1929 to 1972 Otava worked at the Prague National Theatre, singing more than 160 roles; he also toured widely abroad. With his striking stage presence, he excelled in portrayals of Germont in La traviata
, Pizarro in Fidelio
, Scarpia in Tosca
, Telramund in Lohengrin
, and the title heroes in The Marriage of Figaro
and Eugene Onegin
. He also was highly successful in the Czech repertory, and learnt a large number of contemporary roles. In 1949 he performed in the world premiere of František Škroup
's Columbus (composed 1855).
Otava was also a highly respected voice teacher. He taught at the Prague Conservatory
from 1941–1942 and again in 1953. He was on the faculty at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague
from 1952–1973. Among his notable pupils were Václav Zítek
and Naděžda Kniplová
. In 1959 he was made a People's Artist of the USSR
. After retiring from the stage in 1972 he lived in retirement in Prague where he died in 1980 at the age of 78.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
tic baritone
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
who had a length career at the Prague 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...
that spanned more than four decades. Musicologist Alena Němcová stated that, "Otava's voice had a very wide vocal range
Vocal range
Vocal range is the measure of the breadth of pitches that a human voice can phonate. Although the study of vocal range has little practical application in terms of speech, it is a topic of study within linguistics, phonetics, and speech and language pathology, particularly in relation to the study...
and a marked intensity, and while light, was extremely varied in colour, with an even tone, free of vibrato; his diction was absolutely clear." In addition to his opera career, he was also a successful recitalist, particularly known for his performances of the contemporary Czech repertoire. His voice is preserved on a number of recordings made on the Supraphon
Supraphon
Supraphon Music Publishing is a Czech record label, it is oriented mainly towards publishing classical music, with an emphasis on Czech and Slovak composers.- History :...
label.
Biography
Born in VítějevesVítějeves
Vítějeves is a village and municipality in Svitavy District in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 380 ....
, worked as a choirboy
Choirboy
A choirboy is a boy member of a choir, also known as a treble.As a derisive slang term, it refers to a do-gooder or someone who is morally upright, in the same sense that "Boy Scout" refers to someone who is considered honorable or conscientious.- History :The use of choirboys in Christian...
in Brno
Brno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
where his singing drew the praise of Leoš Janáček
Leoš Janácek
Leoš Janáček was a Czech composer, musical theorist, folklorist, publicist and teacher. He was inspired by Moravian and all Slavic folk music to create an original, modern musical style. Until 1895 he devoted himself mainly to folkloristic research and his early musical output was influenced by...
. In his youth he studied violin and piano with Bohuslav Martinů
Bohuslav Martinu
Bohuslav Martinů was a prolific Czech composer of modern classical music. He was of Czech and Rumanian ancestry. Martinů wrote six symphonies, 15 operas, 14 ballet scores and a large body of orchestral, chamber, vocal and instrumental works. Martinů became a violinist in the Czech Philharmonic...
. He initially wanted to become a teacher like his father and attended the College of Education in Brno, at which time he pursued further music studies privately with Janáček. After singing lessons with Bohumil Benoni in Prague, he studied opera further in Rome with Riccardo Stracciari
Riccardo Stracciari
Riccardo Stracciari was a leading Italian baritone. His repertoire consisted mainly of Italian operatic works, with Rossini's Figaro and Verdi's Rigoletto becoming his signature roles during a long and distinguished career which stretched from 1899 to 1944.- Life and career :Born near Bologna,...
and then in Milan and Vienna.
In 1935 he made his professional opera début at the Slovak National Theatre
Slovak National Theatre
The Slovak National Theatre denotes:* the oldest Slovak professional theatre consisting of 3 ensembles ,* a Neo-Renaissance theatre building in the Old Town of Bratislava, Slovakia, which formerly housed two of the theatre's ensembles , and* the theatre's large modern theatre building in...
in Bratislava as Iago in Otello
Otello
Otello is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on Shakespeare's play Othello. It was Verdi's penultimate opera, and was first performed at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan, on February 5, 1887....
. A year later was engaged by the Mahen Theatre
Mahen Theatre
Mahen Theatre is a Czech theatre situated in the city of Brno. Mahen Theatre, built as German Deutsches Stadttheater in 1882, was one of the first public buildings in the world lit entirely by electric light...
in Brno with which he sang Baron Prus in the première of Janáček’s The Makropulos Affair and the title role in Ernst Krenek
Ernst Krenek
Ernst Krenek was an Austrian of Czech origin and, from 1945, American composer. He explored atonality and other modern styles and wrote a number of books, including Music Here and Now , a study of Johannes Ockeghem , and Horizons Circled: Reflections on my Music...
’s Jonny spielt auf
Jonny spielt auf
Jonny spielt auf is an opera with words and music by Ernst Krenek about a jazz violinist. The work typified the cultural freedom of the 'golden era' of the Weimar Republic.-Performance history:...
.
From 1929 to 1972 Otava worked at the Prague National Theatre, singing more than 160 roles; he also toured widely abroad. With his striking stage presence, he excelled in portrayals of Germont in La traviata
La traviata
La traviata is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It is based on La dame aux Camélias , a play adapted from the novel by Alexandre Dumas, fils. The title La traviata means literally The Fallen Woman, or perhaps more figuratively, The Woman...
, Pizarro in Fidelio
Fidelio
Fidelio is a German opera in two acts by Ludwig van Beethoven. It is Beethoven's only opera. The German libretto is by Joseph Sonnleithner from the French of Jean-Nicolas Bouilly which had been used for the 1798 opera Léonore, ou L’amour conjugal by Pierre Gaveaux, and for the 1804 opera Leonora...
, Scarpia in Tosca
Tosca
Tosca is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It premiered at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome on 14 January 1900...
, Telramund in Lohengrin
Lohengrin (opera)
Lohengrin is a romantic opera in three acts composed and written by Richard Wagner, first performed in 1850. The story of the eponymous character is taken from medieval German romance, notably the Parzival of Wolfram von Eschenbach and its sequel, Lohengrin, written by a different author, itself...
, and the title heroes in The Marriage of Figaro
The Marriage of Figaro
Le nozze di Figaro, ossia la folle giornata , K. 492, is an opera buffa composed in 1786 in four acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte, based on a stage comedy by Pierre Beaumarchais, La folle journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro .Although the play by...
and Eugene Onegin
Eugene Onegin (opera)
Eugene Onegin, Op. 24, is an opera in 3 acts , by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The libretto was written by Konstantin Shilovsky and the composer and his brother Modest, and is based on the novel in verse by Alexander Pushkin....
. He also was highly successful in the Czech repertory, and learnt a large number of contemporary roles. In 1949 he performed in the world premiere of František Škroup
František Škroup
František Jan Škroup was a Czech composer and conductor. His brother Jan Nepomuk Škroup was also a successful composer and his father, Dominik Škroup, and other brother Ignác Škroup were lesser known composers.- Biography :At the age of eleven he moved to Prague where he supported himself as a...
's Columbus (composed 1855).
Otava was also a highly respected voice teacher. He taught at the Prague Conservatory
Prague Conservatory
Prague Conservatory, sometimes also Prague Conservatoire, in Czech Pražská konzervatoř, is a Czech secondary school in Prague dedicated to teaching the arts of music and theater acting.- Instruction :...
from 1941–1942 and again in 1953. He was on the faculty at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague
Academy of Performing Arts in Prague
The Academy of Performing Arts in Prague is a university level school of music, dance, drama, film, TV and multi-media studies.- Faculties :*Film and TV School - FAMU*Music Faculty - HAMU*Theatre Faculty - DAMU-Notable alumni:...
from 1952–1973. Among his notable pupils were Václav Zítek
Václav Zítek
Václav Zítek is a Czech opera singer. A lyric baritone with a beautiful timbre and a wide vocal range, he was one of the leading Czech singers of the postwar generation. He particularly excelled in portraying Janáček and Smetana heroes...
and Naděžda Kniplová
Naděžda Kniplová
Naděžda Kniplová is a Czech operatic soprano who had an active international career from the 1950s through the 1980s. Kniplová possessed a large voice with a sonorous, metallic, dark timbre that was particularly well suited to the dramatic soprano repertoire...
. In 1959 he was made a People's Artist of the USSR
People's Artist of the USSR
People's Artist of the USSR, also sometimes translated as National Artist of the USSR, was an honorary title granted to citizens of the Soviet Union.- Nomenclature and significance :...
. After retiring from the stage in 1972 he lived in retirement in Prague where he died in 1980 at the age of 78.