Opera Scotland

Nadĕžda Kniplová Suggest updates

Born Ostrava, 18 April 1932.

Died Prague, 14 January 2020.

Czech soprano.

Nadĕžda Kniplová was an important dramatic soprano remembered for the leading roles she sang during the two visits to the Edinburgh International Festival by the National Theatre from Prague in 1964 and 1970.

She studied at the Prague Conservatory and Academy of the Performing Arts, and returned to the Academy as a teacher after her retirement from singing.

Her debut in 1959 was as a member of the Brno company, staying there until 1964. During this period she appeared as a guest in Dresden.  Her repertoire of Czech roles at this time included Smetana (Libuse); Janáček (Emilia Marty); Martinů (Katerina The Greek Passion).  She also sang non-Czech parts such as Verdi (Aïda); Bartók (Judith); Prokofiev (Renata The Fiery Angel); Shostakovich (Katerina Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk).

In 1965 she moved to the National Theatre in Prague, in time for the company's first Edinburgh Festival visit.  Roles added to her Czech repertoire included Smetana (Milada Dalibor); Dvořák (Foreign Princess Rusalka); Janáček (Kátya); Cikker (Maria Ivanovna Resurrection).  Her non-Czech repertoire now included Beethoven (Leonore); Wagner (Ortrud, Eva, Isolde, Brünnhilde, Kundry); Puccini (Tosca, Turandot).

Guest appearances now took her to Germany (Berlin, Hamburg, Karlsruhe); Austria (Vienna, Salzburg); Italy (Turin) and USA (San Francisca).  At the Salzburg Easter Festival she sang Brünnhilde under the direction of Karajan.

Her recordings include Milada Dalibor, conducted by Krombholc;  Kostelnicka Jenůfa twice, under Gregor and Jilek; and Kabanicha Kátya Kabanová, conducted by Mackerras.