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. Dalibor (Smetana) Když Zdenek muj B10717 14789 Ultraphon, Praha 1933-07-01
2. Hájku, hájku (trad) A10708 14786 Ultraphon, Praha 1933-07-01
3. Hubicka (Smetana) Kdybych vedel jak svou vinu smýt B10717 14787 Ultraphon, Paha 1933-07-01
4. Mesicek svítí (trad) A10708 14785 Ultraphon, Praha 1933-07-01
5. Prodaná Nevesta (Smetana) Jak možno verit B10718 14790 Ultraphon, Praha 1933-07-01
6. Prodaná Nevesta (Smetana) Verné naše milováni (w. Kocová) B10718 14788 Ultraphon, Praha 1933-07-01
7. Tece voda proti vode (trad) A10721 14794 Ultraphon, Praha 1933-07-01
8. Zahucaly hory (trad) A10721 14793 Ultraphon, Praha 1933-07-01