Pavel Vondruška
Encyclopedia
Pavel Vondruška was a Czech actor
and musician
, and from 1969 was a member of the Jara Cimrman
Theatre. His main profession was as a conductor
. He also appeared in several films.
He was born in České Budějovice
, and mastered a number of foreign languages (French
, Italian
, Spanish
, English
, Russian
, German
, Croatian
, Latin
and Esperanto
).
He studied at the conservatorium and consequently went on to study conducting, opera
direction and dramaturgy
at the music academy AMU
, where he was taught by Karel Ančerl
and Václav Talich
. While studying, he was accompanist at the National Theatre Prague
and conductor
of the Prague Opera.
In the years 1951 to 1977 he was conductor at:
Between the years 1977 and 2009 he worked in the National Theatre
, where he conducted the orchestra for the drama programme. From 1977 to 1998 he was also head of the theatre orchestra. He is known as an author and adapted music for some stagings (for example, Paličově dceři by Josef Kajetán Tyl
). Sometimes he performed for the National Theatre as an actor
in occasional roles. His activities at the National Theatre ended on 31 July 2009.
In the years 1969 - 2010 he was a member of the company at the Jara Cimrman
Theatre. He departed from this theatre due to his deteriorating memory. He was also involved with Divadlo Na Jezerce.
On 28 December 2010 he suffered a serious fall from the podium of the Estates Theatre
while guiding tourists. He was hospitalised in the Motol Hospital and placed on life support. On the evening of 5 February 2011 he died in hospital in Prague
.
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, and from 1969 was a member of the Jara Cimrman
Jára Cimrman
Jára Cimrman or Jára da Cimrman is a Czech fictional character created by Jiří Šebánek, Ladislav Smoljak and Zdeněk Svěrák. He is presented as one of the greatest Czech playwrights, poets, composers, teachers, travellers, philosophers, inventors, detectives, mathematicians and sportsmen of the...
Theatre. His main profession was as a conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
. He also appeared in several films.
He was born in České Budějovice
Ceské Budejovice
České Budějovice is a city in the Czech Republic. It is the largest city in the South Bohemian Region and is the political and commercial capital of the region and centre of the Roman Catholic Diocese of České Budějovice and of the University of South Bohemia and the Academy of Sciences...
, and mastered a number of foreign languages (French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, Croatian
Croatian language
Croatian is the collective name for the standard language and dialects spoken by Croats, principally in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina and other neighbouring countries...
, Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
and Esperanto
Esperanto
is the most widely spoken constructed international auxiliary language. Its name derives from Doktoro Esperanto , the pseudonym under which L. L. Zamenhof published the first book detailing Esperanto, the Unua Libro, in 1887...
).
He studied at the conservatorium and consequently went on to study conducting, 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...
direction and dramaturgy
Dramaturgy
Dramaturgy is the art of dramatic composition and the representation of the main elements of drama on the stage. Dramaturgy is a distinct practice separate from play writing and directing, although a single individual may perform any combination of the three. Some dramatists combine writing and...
at the music academy AMU
AMU
As an abbreviation, AMU may refer to:* Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland* African Mathematical Union* Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India* American Military University, Charles Town, West Virginia* Arab Maghreb Union...
, where he was taught by Karel Ančerl
Karel Ancerl
Karel Ančerl , was a Czech conductor, known for his performances of contemporary music and for his interpretations of music by Czech composers...
and Václav Talich
Václav Talich
Václav Talich was a Czech conductor, violinist and pedagogue.- Life :Born in Kroměříž, Moravia, he started his musical career in a student orchestra in Klatovy. From 1897 to 1903 he studied at the conservatory in Prague with Otakar Ševčík...
. While studying, he was accompanist at the National Theatre Prague
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...
and conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
of the Prague Opera.
In the years 1951 to 1977 he was conductor at:
- AUSu Symphony Orchestra
- Moravian Philharmonic Olomouc
- State Theatre Opera Ostrava
- Opera of the Musical Theatre in Karlin (in the last year simultaneously accompanist at the National TheatreNational 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...
)
Between the years 1977 and 2009 he worked in the 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...
, where he conducted the orchestra for the drama programme. From 1977 to 1998 he was also head of the theatre orchestra. He is known as an author and adapted music for some stagings (for example, Paličově dceři by Josef Kajetán Tyl
Josef Kajetán Tyl
Josef Kajetán Tyl was a significant Czech dramatist, writer and actor. He was a notable figure of the Czech National Revival movement and is best known as the author of the current national anthem of the Czech Republic titled Kde domov můj.-Life:Josef Kajetán Tyl was the first-born son of Jiří...
). Sometimes he performed for the National Theatre as an actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
in occasional roles. His activities at the National Theatre ended on 31 July 2009.
In the years 1969 - 2010 he was a member of the company at the Jara Cimrman
Jára Cimrman
Jára Cimrman or Jára da Cimrman is a Czech fictional character created by Jiří Šebánek, Ladislav Smoljak and Zdeněk Svěrák. He is presented as one of the greatest Czech playwrights, poets, composers, teachers, travellers, philosophers, inventors, detectives, mathematicians and sportsmen of the...
Theatre. He departed from this theatre due to his deteriorating memory. He was also involved with Divadlo Na Jezerce.
On 28 December 2010 he suffered a serious fall from the podium of the Estates Theatre
Estates Theatre
The Estates Theatre or Stavovské divadlo is a historic theatre in Prague, Czech Republic. The Estates Theatre was annexed to the National Theatre in 1948 and currently draws on three artistic ensembles, opera, ballet, and drama, which perform at the Estates Theatre, the National Theatre , and the...
while guiding tourists. He was hospitalised in the Motol Hospital and placed on life support. On the evening of 5 February 2011 he died in hospital 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...
.