Marie Fajtová

Biography

The soprano Marie Fajtová studied at the Prague Conservatory, first piano (1992–98) and later opera singing, under the tutelage of Jiří Kotouč (1998–2003). At the present time, she is honing her voice skills with the American soprano Nancy Henninger. In 2004 she was a finalist in the Antonín Dvořák International Singing Competition, where she received the Prague Symphony Orchestra Award. In 2008 she won the Grand Prize in the Barbara Hendricks International Vocal Competition in Strasbourg. During the 2005/06 season she was a soloist of J. K. Tyl Theatre in Plzeň, where she sang Norina (Donizetti: Don Pasquale) and Fiordiligi (Mozart: Così fan tutte). Since the 2006/07 season she has been a soloist of the National Theatre Opera and has appeared in the roles of Mozart’s Donna Anna and Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni), Susanna and La contessa di Almaviva (Le nozze di Figaro), Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte) and Arminda (La finta giardiniera), Handel’s Armida (Rinaldo), Violetta (Verdi: La traviata), Frasquita (Bizet: Carmen), Adina (Donizetti: L'elisir d'amore), Antonia (Offenbach: Les contes d'Hoffmann), Penelope (Britten: Gloriana), Euridice (Gluck: Orfeo ed Euridice), Karolina (Smetana: The Two Widows) and Bellini’s Norma. She guest appeared also at the Prague State Opera (Violetta) and at the National Theatre Brno (Nedda in Leoncavallo’s I pagliacci and Lauretta in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi). In Japan Marie Fajtová performed Susanna and Pamina; in Regensburg and in Mannheim, Germany she sang Violetta, at the Finnish National Opera she guest appeared as Marguerite (Gounod: Faust), and in Finland and France she created the title role of Pergolesi´s La serva padrona. She successfully performed as Armida in the National Theatre’s production of Rinaldo in Caen, Rennes, Luxembourg and at L’Opéra Royal de Versailles. A special part of her artistic work is Baroque music, in cooperation with ensembles Capella Regia Prague, Collegium Marianum, Collegium 1704 and Camerata Nova. At the International Music Festival Prague Spring 2004, she performed as Primislao in Baroque pasticcio Praga nascente da Libussa e Primislao. In 2006, she created the title role in Handel´s Alcina for the festival in Valtice and at the International Music Festival Český Krumlov she sang Serpina in La serva padrona. She also performed Angelica in Vivaldi’s Orlando furioso and Agenore in Bononcini’s Astarto. At the IMF Prague Spring 2014, she sang La jolie rousse by the eminent Czech contemporary composer Jan Klusák (together with Wihan Quartet). Marie Fajtová has performed at the concert halls in many European countries (Spain, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands), Japan and Ceuta, Africa.

Photo: Jakub Ludvík