Ivo Žídek

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Ivo Žídek (1926–2003) was a Czech lyric tenor known for his vivid character portrayals in the operas of Smetana, Dvořák and Janáček. He was born on 4 June 1926 in Kravaře, Czechoslovakia, into a family of music teachers. His father, Libor Žídek, was also an actor and singer. As a young man in Ostrava, he studied painting because music schools were closed during the Nazi occupation, but he privately studied voice with Rudolf Vašek and music theory with Josef Schreiber. He made his stage debut in 1944 as Werther in Ostrava and sang there until 1948.

In 1947 he sang Jeník in The Bartered Bride at the Prague National Theatre, a role he would perform more than 500 times. He joined the National Theatre as a principal soloist in 1948 and stayed for 37 years. His bright lyric voice suited many Czech roles, especially the Prince in Rusalka. He performed in Smetana, Dvořák, Janáček and Martinů operas, as well as works by Fibich and others. Notable Janáček roles included Steva and Laca in Jenůfa, the trio in The Excursions of Mr. Brouček, Albert Gregor in The Makropulos Case and Skuratov in From the House of the Dead (a recording and a 1983 New York Philharmonic performance). He also sang Tamino in The Magic Flute and Tom Rakewell in The Rake’s Progress.

Žídek appeared abroad at the Vienna State Opera (1956–1971) and Berlin’s Deutsche Staatsoper (1954–1968), among other European houses, plus appearances in South America and at Wexford. In 1989, after the Velvet Revolution, he renounced his state titles and joined Václav Havel on the Prague balcony to sing the Czech National Anthem. He led the National Theatre as director from 1989 to 1991 and continued directing productions there until 2001. He married Libuse Mrázová in 1947 and had two sons, Ivo (a set designer) and Libor (an operetta soloist). Ivo Žídek died in Prague on 19 May 2003 after a long illness.