Biography
Baritone Jiří Rajniš made his National Theatre Opera debut in Orff's Die Kluge and Der Mond (2016/2017). From 2017 to 2019 he was a member of the Junge Ensamble of the Semperoper Dresden, where his roles included Schaunard (La bohème), Morales (Carmen), Fiorello (Il barbiere di Siviglia), 1st Priest (Die Zauberflöte) and Trojan Soldier / A Greek chieftain (Les Troyens). In the years 2013–2017 he was a member of Landestheater Coburg (Germany). He has appeared as a guest at the Musical Theater Karlin in Prague (Polenblut, Die Csárdásfürstin), J.K. Tyl Theatre in Plzeň (the title role in Eugene Onegin), North Bohemian Theatre of Opera and Ballet in Ústí nad Labem (Escamillo in Carmen) and F.X. Šalda Theatre in Liberec (Schaunard in La bohème, Dunois in The Maid of Orleans, Ford in Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor, and Luna in Il trovatore), and has also worked with Children's Opera Prague, Prague Chamber Opera, Virtuosi di Praga etc. He has performed extensively on the concert platform in Germany and collaborated with the Bamberger Symphoniker (Bernstein: Peter Pan) etc. His debut as the youngest Czech Don Giovanni abroad took place in Sommer Oper Bamberg 2013. In New York City he was engaged as the cover of Belcore in L'elisir d'amore by the Martina Arroyo Foundation, and he also participed in the Couch-Programme of the Metropolitan Opera. Jiří Rajniš studied at the Prague Conservatoire and subsequently at the prestigious UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music in the class of Vladimir Chernov in Los Angeles. He became the Absolute Winner of Prague Singer 2008 singing competition, and was a semi-finalist in the Antonín Dvořák International Singing Competition in Karlovy Vary in 2008. In the National Theatre in Prague he has also created Jonny (Jonny spielt auf), Don Fernando (Fidelio) and Albert (Werther).
2020/21 Season