Eliška Weissová

Eliška Weissová was born in 1979 in the Moravská Třebová. She studied singing at the Conservatory in Brno (1997-2000) and at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (2000-2005) under Prof. René Tučka. Additionally she studied in master classes with Naděžda Kniplová and Peter Dvorský.

She successfully participated in several singing competitions such as the International Singing Competition of Ema Destinn in České Budějovice (honorable mention, 2000), the International Singing Competition of Antonín Dvořák in Karlovy Vary (1st prize, 2004), Queen Sonja Competition in Oslo (semifinalist, 2005), Nicholas Schneider Contest, Slovakia (3rd, 2006), the Competizione dell'Opera in Dresden (semifinalist, 2007), and the Boris Christoff Competition (finalist - April 2009).

During her studies at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, she performed as a guest in Olomouc in the role of Florence (Britten: Albert Herring), she sang on tour with the Prague Chamber Opera in Germany and Luxembourg as the role of Marcellina (Rossini: The Barber of Seville). She sang the role of Kate (Dvořák: Kate and the Devil) and Maddalena (G. Verdi: Rigoletto) in Ústí nad Labem and Pilsen. In Pilsen, she performed Verdi's operas as Azucena (Il Trovatore) and Fenena (Nabucco), Puccini's Princess (Sister Angelica), the role of the Archangel Gabriel and Blacksmith's Daughter (Martinů: Miracles of Mary), the Witch (Dvořák: Rusalka) and Grandmother Buryjovka (Janacek: Jenufa). For the Silesian Theatre in Opava she studied for the role of Ljubaši (Rimsky-Korsakov: The Tsar's Bride).

She successfully performed to foreign opera audiences in the roles of Marcellina and Third Lady on tour in Japan, as the Mayor's Wife (Jenufa) in the Sicillian Catania at the Theatro Massimo Bellini, and as Ulrica (Un Ballo in Maschera) in the National Opera in Sofia. As a regular guest acting at the National Theatre in Prague, she performed acts such as Rychtářka (Jenufa), Third Lady (The Magic Flute) and Marcellina (The Marriage of Figaro). In the Košice Opera she accepted the offer from her boss Peter Dvorsky to perform the rolls of Ulrica (Verdi: Un Ballo in Maschera), Azucena (Verdi: Il Trovatore) and the Witch (Rusalka), which she sang at a gala performance in Kosice with the world famous singer Gabriela Beňačková.

An important part of her artistic work consists of her concert performances. Lately, we can mention her performances in Janáček's Glagolitic Mass in Rimini in Italy Symphony Orchestra and Prague Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Peter Altrichter (2006) and the stage performance of Janacek's The Diary of One Who Disappeared at the Opéra National de Paris (Bastille 2007). During the International Music Festival Prague Spring 2007 she performed at the Opera Gala Concert in Prague Hibernia, during the Janacek International Music Festval May 2007, and at the International Music Festival of Mito Settembre Musica 2008 (Milan) she performed in The Diary of One Who Disappeared. She premiered her role of Zefka (The Diary of One Who Disappeared) for the Festival Janáček Hukvaldy 2008. During the Janáček International Music Festival in Brno 2008 she appeared as Kostelnička (Janacek: Jenufa).

Of the leading conductors she has worked with, she has had the pleasure of working with Jiřího Kouta, Ondreje Lenárda, Petera Altrichtera, Olivera Dohnányi, Rastislava Štúra, Jakuba Hrušu, Stefana Seghedoni, Tachibana Naotaka ect. She has performed in many European countries (eg. Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, France). Her concert repertoire includes primarily works by Mozart, Dvorak and Janacek.
In years 2009-2010 she sang the roles of Amneris (Aida) at the Opera in Brno, Fenena (Nabucco) at the Opera in Brno, Ulrica (Un Ballo in Maschera) at the Opera in Sofia, Verdi´s Requiem in Prague and Mahler's Lied von der Erde in Karlovy Vary. In years 2010-2011 she sang the role of Kostelnicka (Jenufa) at the Opera de Rennes and in 2012 also sang the role of Kostelnicka at the Theatre de Limoges. She also sang a role of Mother Goose (Rake´s Progress) for the National opera in Ostrava and Cieca (La Gioconda) at the Opera in Pilsen. In 2013 she played a role of Rossweisse (The Valkyrie) at the Opere de Rennes. In 2015 she sang the Glagolitic Mass with the Prague Symphony Orchestra.
In years 2015 – 2017 she sang the role of Azuncena (Il Trovatore) at opera houses in Kosice (SK) or České Budejovice (CZ) and role of Ortruda (Lohengrin) at the National theatre in Prague. In 2018 she is going to perform a role of Dalila (Samson and Dalila) at the Opera in Košice.