Bohumil Gregor

Biography

Born July 7, 1926, died November 4, 2005. The beginnings of Bohumil Gregor’s artistic career are bound to ensemble of the Grand Opera of the Fifth of May (in the building of today’s Prague State Opera) where he started as a double bassist and conductor. After its union with the National Theatre in 1948 he entered its ensemble; the first opera he studied for the National Theatre was Puccini’s La bohème. In 1949 he was offered permanent work by the Royal Opera in Stockholm from where he moved to Hamburg State Opera after 4 seasons and there he soon played an important role in Rolf Liebermann’s era. Until 1986 he was the main guest conductor of the Dutch Opera in Amsterdam, where he concentrated on Janáček, Strauss, and Puccini. He guest performed in great American and European opera centres (San Francisco, Washington, Philadelphia, Western Berlin, Cologne, Zurich, Geneva, and others) and with the opera ensemble of the Prague National Theatre he performed at many European festivals and at other occasions – especially with Janáček, but also with Smetana, Dvořák, and Martinů. He recorded several recordings and opera sets, among others The Cunning Little Vixen, From the Dead House, Makropulos Thing, etc. Bohumil Gregor returned in 1999 to the orchestra pit, where he began his career, when he studied for the Prague State Opera the world premiere of a forgotten opera Bubu from Montparnass by Emil František Burian. Until year 2002 he worked there as a music director. Recently he returned again as a guest to the National Theatre the member of which he has been in years 1948-1949, 1953-1958, 1962-1977, and 1990-1991. The last production of The Cunning Little Vixen was the fifth production conducted by Bohumil Gregor in the National Theatre.