Irma Reichová
Encyclopedia
Irma Reichová was a Czech
opera
tic soprano
who had an active career appearing in European opera house
s during the latter half of the nineteenth century. A dramatic soprano
, she was admired for both her musical and acting talent. She is best remembered for appearing in the world premieres of a number of operas by Antonín Dvořák
and Bedřich Smetana
.
, Reichová first sang publicly in 1874 at a festival honoring the building of a railway bridge near his hometown. Her local priest, Václav Svatopluk Štulc, together with the present Prince Emil Furstenberg, were so amazed by her voice that they advised her parents to enroll her in singing lessons. Her family accordingly sent her to Prague
where she studied under František Pivoda, the Director of the Prague School of Singing.
She made her first public appearance in Prague as Senta in a concert version of Richard Wagner
's Der fliegende Holländer. Shortly thereafter she was supposed to appear at the opera house in Teplice
, but ill health prevented her from performing. She finally made her first staged opera appearance at the Provisional Theatre
the following year. Her portrayal of Marguerita in Charles Gounod
's Faust
was so well received that the theatre's manager, Johann Nepomuk Maýr, offered her a long-term contract. She accepted and appeared in a number of operetta
s over the next year.
In 1881 Bedřich Smetana
invited Reichová to join his roster of artists at the then new Prague National Theatre
. She accepted the offer, breaking her contract with the Provisional Theatre. She notably sang at the grand opening of the National Theatre on June 11, 1881 as the title heroine in the world premiere of Smetana's Libuše
; a performance given in honor of the visit of Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria
. Unfortunately the new house was destroyed two months later by a fire and the company had to perform at the Nové České Divadlo (New Czech Theatre) until the theatre could be rebuilt. At the New Czech Theatre, Reichová notably portrayed Hedvika in the first production of Smetana's The Devil's Wall
on October 29, 1882 and Xenie Borisovna in the world premiere of Antonín Dvořák
's Dimitrij
on 8 October 1882. The National Theatre reopened on November 18, 1883 with a reprisal of Libuše with the same cast.
In 1887, Reichová's love for Italian music brought her to Italy where she became fluent in Italian and made intensive studies of the major Italian repertoire. In 1888 she appeared at the Hungarian State Opera House
, where she raised such enthusiasm that she was offered a permanent contract. She spent the next seven years as Budapest's leading soprano.
In 1891 Reichová returned to Prague where she continued to sing and worked as a voice teacher. In 1927 she retired and lived the rest of her life in Bohemia. She died in Prague
.
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
opera
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 soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
who had an active career appearing in European opera house
Opera house
An opera house is a theatre building used for opera performances that consists of a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and set building...
s during the latter half of the nineteenth century. A dramatic soprano
Dramatic soprano
A dramatic soprano is an operatic soprano with a powerful, rich, emotive voice that can sing over, or cut through, a full orchestra. Thicker vocal folds in dramatic voices usually mean less agility than lighter voices but a sustained, fuller sound. Usually this voice has a lower tessitura than...
, she was admired for both her musical and acting talent. She is best remembered for appearing in the world premieres of a number of operas by Antonín Dvořák
Antonín Dvorák
Antonín Leopold Dvořák was a Czech composer of late Romantic music, who employed the idioms of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia. Dvořák’s own style is sometimes called "romantic-classicist synthesis". His works include symphonic, choral and chamber music, concerti, operas and many...
and Bedřich Smetana
Bedrich Smetana
Bedřich Smetana was a Czech composer who pioneered the development of a musical style which became closely identified with his country's aspirations to independent statehood. He is thus widely regarded in his homeland as the father of Czech music...
.
Biography
Born Irma Keszlerová in KřivoklátKrivoklát
Krivoklát can refer to*Krivoklát, a village in the Trenčín Region of Slovakia*Křivoklát, a village in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic...
, Reichová first sang publicly in 1874 at a festival honoring the building of a railway bridge near his hometown. Her local priest, Václav Svatopluk Štulc, together with the present Prince Emil Furstenberg, were so amazed by her voice that they advised her parents to enroll her in singing lessons. Her family accordingly sent her to Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
where she studied under František Pivoda, the Director of the Prague School of Singing.
She made her first public appearance in Prague as Senta in a concert version of Richard Wagner
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
's Der fliegende Holländer. Shortly thereafter she was supposed to appear at the opera house in Teplice
Teplice
Teplice , Teplice-Šanov until 1948 is a town in the Czech Republic, the capital of the Teplice District in the Ústí nad Labem Region. It is the state's second largest spa town ....
, but ill health prevented her from performing. She finally made her first staged opera appearance at the Provisional Theatre
Provisional Theatre (Prague)
The Prague Provisional Theatre was erected in 1862 as a temporary home for Czech drama and opera until a permanent National Theatre could be built. It opened on 18 November 1862 and functioned for 20 years, during which time over 5,000 performances were presented. Between 1866 and 1876 the theatre...
the following year. Her portrayal of Marguerita in Charles Gounod
Charles Gounod
Charles-François Gounod was a French composer, known for his Ave Maria as well as his operas Faust and Roméo et Juliette.-Biography:...
's Faust
Faust (opera)
Faust is a drame lyrique in five acts by Charles Gounod to a French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré from Carré's play Faust et Marguerite, in turn loosely based on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust, Part 1...
was so well received that the theatre's manager, Johann Nepomuk Maýr, offered her a long-term contract. She accepted and appeared in a number of operetta
Operetta
Operetta is a genre of light opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter. It is also closely related, in English-language works, to forms of musical theatre.-Origins:...
s over the next year.
In 1881 Bedřich Smetana
Bedrich Smetana
Bedřich Smetana was a Czech composer who pioneered the development of a musical style which became closely identified with his country's aspirations to independent statehood. He is thus widely regarded in his homeland as the father of Czech music...
invited Reichová to join his roster of artists at the then new 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...
. She accepted the offer, breaking her contract with the Provisional Theatre. She notably sang at the grand opening of the National Theatre on June 11, 1881 as the title heroine in the world premiere of Smetana's Libuše
Libuše (opera)
Libuše is a '"festival opera" in three acts, with music by Bedřich Smetana. The libretto was originally written in German by Josef Wenzig, and was then translated into Czech by Ervin Špindler. In Czech historical myth, Libuše, the title character, prophesied the founding of Prague. The opera...
; a performance given in honor of the visit of Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria
Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria
Rudolf , archduke of Austria and crown prince of Austria, Hungary and Bohemia, was the son and heir of Franz Joseph I, emperor of Austria, Hungary and Bohemia, and his wife and empress, Elisabeth...
. Unfortunately the new house was destroyed two months later by a fire and the company had to perform at the Nové České Divadlo (New Czech Theatre) until the theatre could be rebuilt. At the New Czech Theatre, Reichová notably portrayed Hedvika in the first production of Smetana's The Devil's Wall
The Devil's Wall
The Devil's Wall is a comic-romantic opera in three acts, with music by Bedřich Smetana and libretto by Eliška Krásnohorská, in their third operatic collaboration...
on October 29, 1882 and Xenie Borisovna in the world premiere of Antonín Dvořák
Antonín Dvorák
Antonín Leopold Dvořák was a Czech composer of late Romantic music, who employed the idioms of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia. Dvořák’s own style is sometimes called "romantic-classicist synthesis". His works include symphonic, choral and chamber music, concerti, operas and many...
's Dimitrij
Dimitrij
Dimitrij is an opera by Antonín Dvořák in 4 acts, set a libretto by Marie Červinková-Riegrová. More specifically, it belongs to the genre of Grand Opera. The work was first performed in Prague, at the Nové České Divadlo on 8 October 1882, after Dvořák began composition during May 1881...
on 8 October 1882. The National Theatre reopened on November 18, 1883 with a reprisal of Libuše with the same cast.
In 1887, Reichová's love for Italian music brought her to Italy where she became fluent in Italian and made intensive studies of the major Italian repertoire. In 1888 she appeared at the Hungarian State Opera House
Hungarian State Opera House
The Hungarian State Opera House is a neo-Renaissance opera house located in central Budapest, on Andrássy út. It is home to the Budapest Opera Ball, a society event dating back to 1886.-History:...
, where she raised such enthusiasm that she was offered a permanent contract. She spent the next seven years as Budapest's leading soprano.
In 1891 Reichová returned to Prague where she continued to sing and worked as a voice teacher. In 1927 she retired and lived the rest of her life in Bohemia. She died in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
.