Description

JINDŘICH BLAŽÍČEK (BRNO, 24. 05. 1903 – PRAGUE, 13. 01. 1979)

 

 

 

 

Jindřich Blažíček was born on May 24, 1903 in Brno, Králové Pol, into a working-class family. He graduated from a two-year course at the Brno Business Academy and earned his living as a clerk. He inherited artistic talents from his mother, while working he became a member of the amateur Singing Association and studied singing privately with Rudolf Kaulfus (1920 – 1928), B. Černík (1928 – 1935), Leopold Demuth and Břetislav Bakala.

He started as a professional concert singer (thanks to the conductor Břetislav Bakala). Soon the concert singer became an opera singer. He gained his first experience as an opera soloist at the Czech Theater in Olomouc (1935 – 1936). However, after one season, conductor Václav Talich called him to Prague.

Talich engaged Blažíček in the opera of the National Theater in Prague (May 1, 1936 – July 31, 1948), from which he had to retire on disability and continued to work in a normal civilian job. He also performed with the National Theater in 1937 during a trip to Amsterdam. During his engagement at the National Theatre, he became a prominent representative of the Talich period as a lyrical tenor, who was well used in the roles of Bedřich Smetana, Antonín Dvořák and Leoš Janáček.

Blažíček’s currency was a well-trained voice with a wide range, rich modulation possibilities, mainly with perfect declamation and pronunciation, refinement and soulfulness. Compared to others, his performances were more fragile and boyish.

He was also able to use his mature singing skills in the Italian and Mozart repertoire. Although it was Václav Talich who brought Jindřich Blažíček to the National Theater and under his leadership he also developed into a prominent member of the opera troupe, Talich inadvertently also became the reason for Blažíček’s involuntary termination of his singing career.

During the preparations for the premiere of the opera “Dalibor” in 1942, there was a serious conflict between Talich and Blažíček. Talich overworked the singer’s vocal organ during demanding rehearsals until it completely collapsed. Blažíček therefore had to undergo vocal cord surgery, but his performances could no longer reach the previous level.

From 1944, he practically could no longer perform regularly, only occasionally in 1945 – 1946. He performed twice in 1947 for the very last time. In less than a year, Blažíček was retired in July 1948. He never returned to the concert and singing profession.

He created distinctive creations in the operas “Rusalka” (Prince), “Broken Bride” (Jeník), “Eva” (Mánek), “Her Shepherd” (Števa Buryja), “Káťa Kabanová” (Boris Grigorjevič), “Don Giovanni” ( Don Ottavio), “The Magic Flute” (Tamino), “Dalibor” (Vítek), “The Secret” (Vít), “Bohemian” (Rudolf), “Two Widows” (Ladislav Podhajský), “Lantern” (Jajíček), “The Peasant Beast” (Jeník), “Tosca” (Mario Cavaradossi), “Buds” (Ladislav), “The Merry Wives of Windsor” (Fenton), “Death Godmother” (Doktor), “Boyar Wedding” (Jonel), “Peer Gynt” (Mads), “Dráteník” (Dráteník”), “Evžen Onegin” and others.

He made his screen debut in his operatic role of Jeník in “The Bartered Bride” at the National Theater’s performance of Jiří Slavíček’s Pantáta Bezošek (1941).

After twenty-five years as a pensioner, he started filming again in the second half of the 1960s.

He also performed his art on the radio and sang on several gramophone records (“Rusalka”).

It is interesting that almost twenty years after ending his artistic career, Blažíček received the title of Meritorious Artist (1966). Jindřich Blažíček died on January 13, 1979 in Prague at the premature age of seventy-six.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Dalibor (Smetana) Kdyz Zdenek muj Supraphon 92-V 043108
2. Dalibor (Smetana) Slysel’s to, priteli Supraphon 92-V 043110
3. Dve vidovy (Smetana) Když zavítá máj Ultraphon C 12587 42676
4. Prodana nevesta (Smetana) Arie Jenika Ultraphon B 12436 42784
5. Prodana nevesta (Smetana) Dueto Kecala a Jenika with Pavel Ludikar Ultraphon B 12296 42585
6. Prodana nevesta (Smetana) Dueto Marenky a Jenika with Marie Budikova Ultraphon B 12435 42581
7. Prodana nevesta (Smetana) Dueto Marenky a Jenika with Ota Horakova Ultraphon C 12586 42674
8. Prodana nevesta (Smetana) Jak možhná verit Ultraphon C 12587 42672
9. Rusalka (Dvorak) Dvojspev rusalky a prince z III. jednani with Zofie Napravilova Ultraphon Ultraphon G 12390 042781