Opera Scotland

Gita Denise Suggest updates

Born Kutna Hora, 8 October 1924.

Died 24 January 2004.

Czech, later British, mezzo-soprano.

Gita Denise studied at the Prague Conservatory and Academy of Musical Arts, joining the Czech National Opera as a principal.

Leaving Czechoslovakia, she came to Britain in the late 1940s, and quickly joined the Carl Rosa company, singing Carmen and Venus. She created the role of First Gleemaiden in John Socman (George Lloyd 1950). At Covent Garden she sang Schwertleite in Die Walküre as well as Carmen, and she appeared frequently at Sadler's Wells. With Scottish Opera she sang the Hostess in Boris Godunov.

She appeared regularly in West End musicals, including House of Cards,  Little Mary Sunshine (1962) and a revival of Kern's Very Good Eddie (1976). She worked frequently as an actress, and her television work ranged from Coronation Street to Smiley's People. She also taught, her students including Elizabeth Byrne, Nuala Willis and Lynton Atkinson.