Description

OTAKAR MAŘÁK (ESZTERGOM, 5 JANUARY, 1872 – PRAGUE, 2 JULY, 1939)

He studied at the Prague Conservatory with Parsova-Zikesova. He made his debut in the title role of Charles Gounod’s opera ‘’Faust’’ on 1 February 1899 in Brno, Czech Republic. In the same year he was engaged by the National Theatre in Prague. From 1901, he performed abroad. He was a regular member of the National Theatre between 1899–1901 and again in 1903–1907. Thereafter he sang on this first Czech stage as a permanent guest. In 1907 he left for Paris, where he continued to school his voice. In 1903, Marak was engaged by the Hofper in Viennna. Due the initiative of Gustav Maler, in 1906, he became soloist at the Berlin Komische Opera. In 1908, Ottokar Marak made a successful debut at Covent Garden. There, he sang José, Turiddu, and Canio. In 1911, he shared the role of Gennaro in the new opera by Wolf-Ferrari “The Secret the Madonna” and also sang in the première of Ferruccio Busoni’s ‘’Die Brautwahl’’ (1912, Hamburg). In 1913 he was the first London Bacchus (‘’Ariadne auf Naxos’’), and the following year he sang in Chicago as Parsifal in the local première of Richard Wagner’s opera. He made guest appearances in Paris, Munich, Hamburg and Brussels. Following World War I, he became an American citizen and went on to teach in the country between 1934–1937. A brain seizure in 1937 forced his to return to Prague where he died two years later. He especially excelled in Smetana parts such as Jeník in ‘’The Bartered Bride’’, ‘’Dalibor’’, Ladislav Podhajský in The ‘’Two Widows’’, Lucas in ‘’The Kiss’’ as well as in traditional world repertory which saw Marak play Don Ottavio in ‘’Don Giovanni’’, Massenet’s ‘’Werther’’, Cavaradossi in ‘’Tosca’’ and Alfred Germont in ‘’La Traviata’’. He often took on the role of Don José in Bizet’s ‘’Carmen’’. He is one of the first singers of the time to sing in a full recording of ‘’Pagliacci’’ for Odeon. Marak like his fellow country person, Emmy Destinn, was one of the few Czech singers of the Golden Age to have international careers. Sadly, Marak spent much of his later years in poverty, counting on his American friends to send him cigarettes.

TRACKLIST

1. Andulko šafárová, husicky nemáš doma (trad) X48319 xB4593 Odeon, Berlin 1909-03/08
2. Dalibor (Smetana) Když Zdenek muj X38608 Vx1544 Odeon, Praha 1906-05/08
3. Dalibor (Smetana) Slyšels to, priteli, tam v nebes kuru X38609, Vx1545 Odeon, Praha 1906-05/08
4. Eugen Onegin (Tchaikovsky) Arie des Lenski X38632 Vx1539 Odeon, Praha 1906-05/08
5. Faust (Gounod) Gegrüsst sei mir X99393 xB4581 Odeon, Berlin 1909-03/08.
6. Huguenots (Meyerbeer) An diesem Ort hier mich zu finden X99267 xB4434 Odeon, Berlin 1908-12
7. Huguenots (Meyerbeer) Její licka (Plus blanche) X38387 Vx1773 Odeon, Praha 1906-05/08
8. Jako andel ty jsi krásná (Bradsky) X48321 xB4595 Odeon, Berlin 1909-03/08
9. Manon (Massenet) Ich bin allein… Flieh’ o flieh’ (Fr) X38363 Vx1771 Odeon, Praha 1906-05/08
10. Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Morgenlich leuchtend X38362 Vx1770 Odeon, Praha 1906-05/08
11. Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Wagner) Morgenlich leuchtend X99391 xB4579 Odeon, Berlin 1909-03/08
12. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Smej se, panáco X38631, Vx1537 Odeon, Praha 1906-05/08
13. Postillon de Longjumeau (Adam) Postillonlied (Cz) X38607 Vx1543 Odeon, Praha 1906-05/08
14. Prodaná Nevesta (Smetana) Es muss gelingen X99392 xB4580 Odeon, Berlin 1909-03/08
15. Prodaná Nevesta (Smetana) Jak možno verit X48318, xB4592 Odeon, Berlin 1909-03/08
16. Rigoletto (Verdi) Freundlich blick’ ich X99389 xB4577 Odeon, Berlin 1909-03/08
17. Rigoletto (Verdi) O wie so trügerisch X99390 xB4578 Odeon, Berlin 1909-0/308
18. Traviata (Verdi) Ach, oko jeji zárivé (De’ miei bollenti spiriti) X38606 Vx1542 Odeon, Praha 1906-05/08
19. Trovatore (Verdi) Dass nur für mich (Ah, si, ben mio) X99298 Odeon, Berlin 1908-12
20. Trovatore (Verdi) Lodern zum Himmel (Stretta) X99290 Odeon, Berlin 1908-12
21. Trovatore (Verdi) Stretta (Cz) X38364 Vx1772 Odeon, Praha 1906-05/08
22. Werther (Massenet) Ó, proc mi život dá (Pourquoi me réveiller) X48317, xB4591 Odeon, Berlin 1909-03/08