Jiřina Marková Krystlíková

Biography

Jiřina Marková-Krystlíková graduated from the Prague Conservatoire, where she was taught by Professor Zdeněk Jankovský. While still a student she appeared as a guest at the National Theatre in the roles of Barča and Papagena. She further honed her singing skills at interpretation courses in Siena and Bayreuth. Between 1979 and 2001 she was a soloist of the National Theatre Opera, where she has sung both the Czech and the world repertoire, including soubrette, lyric, early-drama and drama roles. She has excelled as Smetana’s Mařenka, Katuška, Jitka and Krasava; Dvořák’s Rusalka, Terinka and Julie; Mozart’s Pamina, Zerlina, Countess, Susanna and Elvíra; Janáček’s Cunning Little Vixen and Katya Kabanová; Gounod’s Margaretha; Tchaikovsky’s Eliza and Verdi’s Elisabetha. 
Prolific was her concert activity, as well as work with radio, TV and recording studios. Let us mention at least the Opera Recital with B. Gregor in the Czech Republic, a profile record under the leadership of Z. Košler; a CD song recital with piano accompaniment by M. Eliassen; a profile opera CD – conductor F. Preisler; B. Martinů – Plays about Marie, conductor J. Bělohlávek; B. Smetana – Dalibor, conductor Z. Košler. She has won prizes for performing the roles of Barča, Orff’s Clever and the soprano solo in Zemlinsky’s Lyrical Symphony. As regards success abroad, of note have been the concert appearances in New York’s Carnegie Hall, the Mozart Festival in Crest, Rheims and Lourdes. 
Exceptional too were her rendition of the role of Katya Kabanová in Zürich and numerous performances abroad, for example, with the National Theatre Opera in Japan in the roles of Elvira and the Countess. In 2002 she portrayed Abigaile at the State Opera Prague, and also appeared in the role at the opera festival in Loket. In 2003 she sang the role of Amneris. In 2004 she created the role of Janáček’s Kostelnička at the Ostrava Theatre, as well as the role of the Queen in Opera from a Fair. 
In addition to singing, she is also a professor at the Prague Conservatoire. She has participated in competitions as a jury member, for example, the Singing Competition in Alcamo, Sicily, held in May 1998 and 1999. She also manages a private music school in Prague and is the artistic director of the Children’s Opera Prague ensemble.