MgA. Mgr. Beno Blachut

Biography

Dramaturg of Opera. Beno Blachut Jr. was born in Prague. He studied theatre science at the Faculty of Arts of Charles University in Prague and opera direction at the Faculty of Music of the Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in the class of Alena Vaňáková. In 1999 he participated in the production of the rock opera Juno and Avos (Voznesensky and Rybnikov, directed by M. Tarant) staged by the Jaroslav Ježek Conservatory. From 2001 to 2003 he worked at the Theatre Institute as a bibliographer. At that time, he wrote for Divadelní noviny (Theatre News) and Informatorium, the monthly of the Academy of Performing Arts. Between 2001 and 2006 he was a member of the committee of the Musical Theatre Society and a secretary of Young Singers. Since 2001 he has been the managing director of the Beno Blachut Society, whose activity is devoted to this National Theatre opera singer and his colleagues. From 2005 to 2007 he taught dramatic art at the voice department of the Brno Conservatory. He completed his bachelor studies with a production of Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen. As his master’s project, in 2007 he staged, in tandem with Tomáš Studený, Bohuslav Martinů’s The Miracles of Mary at the Silesian Theatre in Opava. In the 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 seasons he worked as a dramaturg at the National Theatre Opera in Brno. As an assistant director, he co-created there the productions of the operas Boris Godunov (directed by I. Levant) and Il barbiere di Siviglia (directed by S. Santillo).
In addition to programme booklets for productions, he has prepared exhibitions at the National Theatre, e.g. on the 150th anniversary of the opening of the Provisional Theatre, Forgotten Czech Operas, František Adolf Šubert - founding director, The Bartered Bride - an exhibition on the 150th anniversary of the World Premiere, Katya Kabanová, or exhibitions on singers Vilém Zítek, Marie Podvalová, Karel Kalaš, Eduard Haken, Beno Blachut, Ivan Kusnjer, Luďek Vele, etc.
In 2014, in cooperation with the vice-chairman of the Bedřich Smetana Society, Dr. Václav Němec, he initiated the creation of matinees held at the National Theatre on the occasion of the composer's birth. In 2020, he prepared the Advent Video Calendar of the National Theatre Opera with director Magdalena Švecová. From 2023, together with pianist Zdeněk Klauda, he is behind the organisation of chamber concerts on the stage of the Estates Theatre, which aim to draw attention to the richness of the song literature. 
In January 2020, he staged Gluck's opera La rencontre imprévue (The Unexpected Meeting) with students of the Prague Conservatoire at the Na Rejdišti Theatre. In June 2021, he performed there together with Magdalena Švecová When the Lord God gives us health or The Promised Bride. In May 2022, he and his sixth-year students presented Vivat Mozart!, which combined Mozart's Don Giovanni and Le nozze di Figaro into one story.
He has been the dramaturge of the National Theatre Opera since 1 January 2008. Since September 2011 he has also been involved in performances as assistant director. 
He is privately involved in the history of the traditional circus.