Jan Hnyk

Biography

Bass Jan Hnyk made his debut at the National Theatre Opera in May 2019 as Celio in Prokofiev's The Love for Three Oranges. He studied at the Prague Conservatoire and took masterclasses with Paolo de Napoli. In November 2016, he participated in the Antonín Dvořák International Singing Competition in Karlovy Vary, where he won the Junior category along with several additional awards. Since 2011, Jan Hnyk has been a guest at the J. K. Tyl Theatre in Plzeň, where he has performed many roles including Masetto (Don Giovanni), Wagner (Faust), Dr. Spinelloccio (Gianni Schicchi), Kaspar (Der Freischütz), Zachariáš (Nabucco), Martin (Dvořák: The Cunning Peasant), the Hermit Peter (Dvořák: Armida), Ferrando (Il Trovatore), Beneš (Smetana: The Devil’s Wall), and Kecal (Smetana: The Bartered Bride), among others. For his portrayal of Martin in Dvořák’s The Cunning Peasant, he was shortlisted for the prestigious Thalia Award in 2019. At the South Bohemian Theatre in České Budějovice, he performed, among other roles, the title part in Boito’s Mefistofele, and at the National Theatre Brno, he appeared as Ramfis (Aida). Between 2010 and 2012, he was a member of Opera Piccola di Praga, with which he toured Switzerland performing Burkhard’s opera Spiegel, das Kätzchen, directed by Josef Novák and produced by Mathias Spohr. Spohr later engaged him in Winterthur, Switzerland, in the role of Bartolo (Le nozze di Figaro). In 2013, Jan Hnyk was chosen by film director Jiří Menzel for the role of the singer Marek in the movie Donšajni. Jan Hnyk will appear in February 2026 in Lille as Dr. Kolenatý in a new production of Janáček’s opera The Makropulos Affair under the baton of Dennis Russell Davies. He has also been a sought-after concert artist.