Vilém Heš
Encyclopedia
Vilém Heš was a Czech opera
tic bass
. He notably enjoyed a close artistic partnership with Gustav Mahler
, singing in his opera company's in Hamburg and Vienna. He was blessed with a beautiful rich vocal tone, although at times his voice would take on a harsher quality in heavier repertoire.
Heš studied singing with bandleader J. Hartl. From 1880 to 1984 he was committed to the Provisional Theatre. He joined the National Theatre
in Prague
in 1884 where he remained for the next decade. While there he notably created roles in several world premieres, including Diego in Zdeněk Fibich
's The Bride of Messina
(28 March 1884) and Filip in Antonín Dvořák
's The Jacobin
(12 February 1889).
In 1894 Heš joined the roster of principal singers at the Hamburg State Opera
where he stayed for two seasons. In 1896 he became a member of the Vienna State Opera
, performing roles there until his death twelve years later. In 1901 he was a celebrated guest artist at the Salzburg Festival
as Leporello in Don Giovanni
. He was also often engaged at the Burgtheater
in Vienna.
In the Czech repertoire, Heš was particularly admired for his portrayals of Mícha in The Bartered Bride
, Mumlal in The Two Widows
, and Rarach in The Devil's Wall
. His other signature roles included Bartolo in Le nozze di Figaro, Mephistopheles in Faust
, Papageno in The Magic Flute
, and Rocco in Fidelio
among others.
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 bass
Bass (voice type)
A bass is a type of male singing voice and possesses the lowest vocal range of all voice types. According to The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, a bass is typically classified as having a range extending from around the second E below middle C to the E above middle C...
. He notably enjoyed a close artistic partnership with Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler
Gustav Mahler was a late-Romantic Austrian composer and one of the leading conductors of his generation. He was born in the village of Kalischt, Bohemia, in what was then Austria-Hungary, now Kaliště in the Czech Republic...
, singing in his opera company's in Hamburg and Vienna. He was blessed with a beautiful rich vocal tone, although at times his voice would take on a harsher quality in heavier repertoire.
Heš studied singing with bandleader J. Hartl. From 1880 to 1984 he was committed to the Provisional Theatre. He joined 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...
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...
in 1884 where he remained for the next decade. While there he notably created roles in several world premieres, including Diego in Zdeněk Fibich
Zdenek Fibich
Zdeněk Fibich was a Czech composer of classical music. Among his compositions are chamber works , symphonic poems, three symphonies, at least seven operas , melodramas including the substantial trilogy Hippodamia,...
's The Bride of Messina
The Bride of Messina (opera)
The Bride of Messina is a tragic opera in three acts, op. 18, by composer Zdeněk Fibich. The Czech language libretto by Otakar Hostinský is based on Friedrich Schiller's play Die Braut von Messina...
(28 March 1884) and Filip in 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 The Jacobin
The Jacobin
The Jacobin is an opera in three acts by Antonín Dvořák to an original Czech libretto by Marie Červinková-Riegrová. Červinková-Riegrová took some of the story's characters from the story by Alois Jirásek, "At the Ducal Court", but devised her own plot around them. The first performance was at the...
(12 February 1889).
In 1894 Heš joined the roster of principal singers at the Hamburg State Opera
Hamburg State Opera
The Hamburg State Opera is one of the leading opera companies in Germany.Opera in Hamburg dates back to 2 January 1678 when the "Opern-Theatrum" was inaugurated with a performance of a biblical Singspiel by Johann Theile...
where he stayed for two seasons. In 1896 he became a member of the Vienna State Opera
Vienna State Opera
The Vienna State Opera is an opera house – and opera company – with a history dating back to the mid-19th century. It is located in the centre of Vienna, Austria. It was originally called the Vienna Court Opera . In 1920, with the replacement of the Habsburg Monarchy by the First Austrian...
, performing roles there until his death twelve years later. In 1901 he was a celebrated guest artist at the Salzburg Festival
Salzburg Festival
The Salzburg Festival is a prominent festival of music and drama established in 1920. It is held each summer within the Austrian town of Salzburg, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart...
as Leporello in Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and with an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It was premiered by the Prague Italian opera at the Teatro di Praga on October 29, 1787...
. He was also often engaged at the Burgtheater
Burgtheater
The Burgtheater , originally known as K.K. Theater an der Burg, then until 1918 as the K.K. Hofburgtheater, is the Austrian National Theatre in Vienna and one of the most important German language theatres in the world.The Burgtheater was created in 1741 and has become known as "die Burg" by the...
in Vienna.
In the Czech repertoire, Heš was particularly admired for his portrayals of Mícha in The Bartered Bride
The Bartered Bride
The Bartered Bride is a comic opera in three acts by the Czech composer Bedřich Smetana, to a libretto by Karel Sabina. The opera is considered to have made a major contribution towards the development of Czech music. It was composed during the period 1863–66, and first performed at the...
, Mumlal in The Two Widows
The Two Widows
The Two Widows is a two-act Czech opera by Bedřich Smetana based on the libretto of Emanuel Züngel. The libretto is based on Jean Pierre Felicien Mallefille's one-act play "Les deux veuves." The opera was composed between June 1873 and January 1874, with its first première on March 27th, 1874 at...
, and Rarach in 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...
. His other signature roles included Bartolo in Le nozze di Figaro, Mephistopheles in 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...
, Papageno in The Magic Flute
The Magic Flute
The Magic Flute is an opera in two acts composed in 1791 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a Singspiel, a popular form that included both singing and spoken dialogue....
, and Rocco in Fidelio
Fidelio
Fidelio is a German opera in two acts by Ludwig van Beethoven. It is Beethoven's only opera. The German libretto is by Joseph Sonnleithner from the French of Jean-Nicolas Bouilly which had been used for the 1798 opera Léonore, ou L’amour conjugal by Pierre Gaveaux, and for the 1804 opera Leonora...
among others.