Ella Tvrdková (19 February 1878 – 8 November 1918), also written as Ella Tordek, was a Czech opera singer.
Early life
Alžběta Anna Tvrdková was born in
Kamenice nad Lipou
Kamenice nad Lipou () (german: Kamnitz an der Linde) is a town in Pelhřimov District in the Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 3,600 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban m ...
,
the daughter of Václav Tvrdek. She studied voice with
Mathilde Mallinger at the
Prague Conservatory
The Prague Conservatory or Prague Conservatoire ( cs, Pražská konzervatoř) is a music school in Prague, Czech Republic, founded in 1808. Currently, Prague Conservatory offers four or six year study courses, which can be compared to the level ...
, with further studies in Berlin.
Career
Tvrdková was with the
Prague National Theatre
The National Theatre ( cs, Národní divadlo) in Prague is known as the alma mater of Czech opera, and as the national monument of Czech history and art.
The National Theatre belongs to the most important Czech cultural institutions, with a ri ...
from 1899 to 1901. In 1901, she sang a small part in the premiere of
Dvořák's ''
Rusalka
In Slavic folklore, the rusalka (plural: rusalky/rusalki; ; pl, rusałka}) is a typically feminine entity, often malicious toward mankind and frequently associated with water, with counterparts in other parts of Europe, such as the French Melus ...
''. From 1901 to 1913, she sang under the name "Ella Tordek" with the
Munich Court Opera, and a regular performer at Munich's Wagner and Mozart festivals. In 1913, she created the role of Rosaura in the original cast of
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari (born Ermanno Wolf) (January 12, 1876 – January 21, 1948) was an Italian composer and teacher. He is best known for his comic operas such as '' Il segreto di Susanna'' (1909). A number of his works were based on plays by ...
's opera ''
Le donne curiose
''Le donne curiose'' (English: ''The Inquisitive Women'') is an opera in three acts by Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari to a text by after Carlo Goldoni's play .
Performance history
The first dramatic work by Wolf-Ferrari to achieve more than local notice ...
,'' in Milan.
Tordek made recordings, including a duet with Luise Hofer, singing
Berlioz's "Nuit paisible et sereine", from ''
Béatrice et Bénédict
''Béatrice et Bénédict'' (''Beatrice and Benedick'') is an '' opéra comique'' in two acts by French composer Hector Berlioz. Berlioz wrote the French libretto himself, based in general outline on a subplot in Shakespeare's ''Much Ado About N ...
'', and a duet with
Friedrich Brodersen
Friedrich Brodersen (1 December 1873 - 19 March 1926) was a German operatic baritone. Born in Bad Boll, he studied singing with Heinrich Bertram. He made his professional opera debut in 1900. He created roles in several world premieres during his ...
, singing
Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his ra ...
's "
Reich mir die Hand", from ''
Don Giovanni
''Don Giovanni'' (; K. 527; Vienna (1788) title: , literally ''The Rake Punished, or Don Giovanni'') is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. Its subject is a centuries-old Spanis ...
''.
Personal life
Ella Tvrdková married Gustav Gerhäuser in 1909.
She died in 1918, aged 40, in
Krumbach, Bavaria
Krumbach (also: ''Krumbach (Schwaben)'') is a town with 13,000 residents in the district Günzburg in Swabia, Bavaria, Germany. It is the second biggest town in the district.
Geography
Krumbach (elevation 512 m (1680 ft)) is situated ...
.
References
External links
*, singing "Nuit paisible et sereine"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tvrdkova, Ella
1878 births
1918 deaths
People from Kamenice nad Lipou
Czech operatic sopranos
Austro-Hungarian singers
Austro-Hungarian expatriates in Germany