Gabriela Beňačková

Gabriela Beňačková, following her studies, undertook her first engagement as a soloist of the National Theatre Opera in Prague (1970 -1981). Her world career began as from 1971, when she began to make guest appearances on foreign stages: Dublin (1971), Reggio Emilia (1973), Parma, Bologna. Subsequently she acquired the status of permanent guest at the opera in Amsterdam (1974 -1980), in the Bavarian State Opera in Munich (1975 -1990) and in the Viennese State Opera (1976 -2000). In the 35 years of her world singing career she appeared on stage at: Rome, Milan -La Scala, Venice, Janov, Moscow -Bolshoi Theatre, Barcelona -Gran Teatre del Liceu, Madrid -Teatro Real, Granada, Seville, Buenos Aires -Teatro Colón, Paríž -Palais Garnier, Theatre du Chatelet, Opera Bastille, London -Covent Garden, Geneva -Grand Opera, Zürich, Köln, Hamburg, Dresden, Stuttgart, Berlin -Deutsche Oper and Staatsoper etc. and appeared also on opera stages and concert podia in Japan and Canada.

A special chapter in Gabriela Beňačková’s artistic biography is her appearance on opera stages in the USA -San Francisco, Los Angeles and the Metropolitan Opera in New York. On this highly prestigious stage she performed in 4 premieres and a whole series of productions such as Káťa Kabanová, Jenůfa, Rusalka, Fidelio, La Bohéme and Othello. She was the first Rusalka in the Metropolitan Opera (1994 -1995), where she made more than 50 appearances. She also made numerous appearances in New York’s prestigious Carnegie Hall.

She is president of the Janáček May Festival, honorary president of the Gustáv Mahler Society, and also a lecturer in singing courses in Germany, Italy and Luhačovice. The festival in the castle at Rychnově nad Kněžnou bears her name.