Magdalena Kožená, Lady Rattle (; born 26 May 1973) is a

Czech Czech may refer to: * Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe ** Czech language ** Czechs, the people of the area ** Czech culture ** Czech cuisine * One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus *Czech (surnam ...

mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano (, ), or mezzo ( ), is a type of classical music, classical female singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A bel ...

Early life

Kožená was born in

Brno Brno ( , ; ) is a Statutory city (Czech Republic), city in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. Located at the confluence of the Svitava (river), Svitava and Svratka (river), Svratka rivers, Brno has about 403,000 inhabitants, making ...

Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...

. Both her parents had come originally from

Bohemia Bohemia ( ; ; ) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. In a narrow, geographic sense, it roughly encompasses the territories of present-day Czechia that fall within the Elbe River's drainage basin, but historic ...

, to the west. She was born one of the two daughters of a mathematician father and a biologist mother. Her father died when she was eleven. As a child she sang in , the Children's and Youth Choir headed up by and attached to the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra. It was, however, as a professional pianist that she planned to make her career until 1987 when she injured her hand in a sports accident at school: this led her to focus on training for a singing career. From 1987 to 1991 she studied voice at Brno Conservatory with Neva Megová and Jiří Peša, and from 1991 to 1995 she was a student of Eva Blahová at Bratislava Drama College where she graduated in 1995. In 1995, she was a prize winner at the International Mozart Competition. From 1996–97, she was a member of the Vienna Volksoper.

Career

Kožená's first recording was of

Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (German: �joːhan zeˈbasti̯an baχ ( – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his prolific output across a variety of instruments and forms, including the or ...

arias, recorded in the Czech Republic. Upon hearing the recording,

Deutsche Grammophon Deutsche Grammophon (; DGG) is a German classical music record label that was the precursor of the corporation PolyGram. Headquartered in Berlin Friedrichshain, it is now part of Universal Music Group (UMG) since its merger with the UMG family of ...

(DG) signed her to a recording contract. Later recordings include

Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel ( ; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well-known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concerti. Born in Halle, Germany, H ...

's Roman Motets and Italian Cantatas and ''

Messiah In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias (; , ; , ; ) is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of '' mashiach'', messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a ''mashiach ...

'' with Marc Minkowski for DG/Archiv, and her first solo recital disc ( Dvořák, Janáček and Martinů with Graham Johnson – Gramophone Solo Vocal Award, 2001) for

. Further recordings include recitals of arias of

Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition and proficiency from an early age ...

Gluck Christoph Willibald ( Ritter von) Gluck (; ; 2 July 1714 – 15 November 1787) was a composer of Italian and French opera in the early classical period. Born in the Upper Palatinate and raised in Bohemia, both part of the Holy Roman Empire at ...

and Mysliveček (with the Prague Philharmonia and Michel Swierczewski), of French arias with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Minkowski, Gluck's '' Paride ed Elena'' under

Paul McCreesh Paul McCreesh (born 24 May 1960) is an English conductor. Paul McCreesh is the founder and artistic director of the Gabrieli Consort & Players. With them he has performed in major concert halls and festivals across the world. He has been the ...

, a recital disc with Malcolm Martineau and an acclaimed disc of cantatas by members of the Bach family ("Lamento") with Musica Antiqua Köln and Reinhard Goebel. She received the 2004 ''Gramophone'' Awards Artist of the Year. For DG/Archiv, she recorded a disc with opera arias of Handel and one with opera arias by

Antonio Vivaldi Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) was an Italian composer, virtuoso violinist, impresario of Baroque music and Roman Catholic priest. Regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers, Vivaldi's influence during his lif ...

, both with the Venice Baroque Orchestra conducted by Andrea Marcon. She has also recently begun to record for Pentatone, where her first album featured Simon Rattle on piano, in an album of Dvořák, Janáček, Strauss and Chausson.

Concerts and recitals

Kožená appears regularly at the

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

Spring and at the Concentus Moraviae Festivals. She has given recitals in London, the Schubertiade Vorarlberg, Brussels, Paris, Hamburg, Amsterdam, Munich, Prague, Tokyo, Yokohama and Sapporo,

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhattan), 57t ...

, in San Francisco and in London, Lisbon, Vienna, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Hamburg and Prague. She also appeared in concerts with the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists Bach Cantata Pilgrimage during the year 2000.

Opera performances

Her operatic engagements have included several notable debuts: at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris as Orfeo in Gluck's '' Orphée'', conducted by

John Eliot Gardiner Sir John Eliot Gardiner (born 20 April 1943) is an English conductor, particularly known for his performances of the works of Johann Sebastian Bach, especially the Bach Cantata Pilgrimage of 2000, performing Church cantata (Bach), Bach's church ...

; at the

Vienna Festival The Vienna Festival (Wiener Festwochen) is a culture festival that takes place in Vienna for five or six weeks in May and June every year. The Vienna Festival was established in 1951, when Vienna was still occupied by the Participants in World W ...

as Nerone in Monteverdi's ''

L'incoronazione di Poppea ''L'incoronazione di Poppea'' (Stattkus-Verzeichnis, SV 308, ''The Coronation of Poppaea'') is an Italian List of operas by Claudio Monteverdi, opera by Claudio Monteverdi. It was Monteverdi's last opera, with a libretto by Giovanni Francesco Buse ...

'', conducted by Minkowski; at the

Edinburgh Festival __NOTOC__ This is a list of Arts festival, arts and cultural festivals regularly taking place in Edinburgh, Scotland. The city has become known for its festivals since the establishment in 1947 of the Edinburgh International Festival and the ...

as Sesto in Mozart's '' La clemenza di Tito''; at the Leipzig Opera as Mélisande in Debussy's '' Pelléas et Mélisande'', conducted by Minkowski; at the Aix-en-Provence Festival as Cherubino in Mozart's ''

Le nozze di Figaro ''The Marriage of Figaro'' (, ), K. 492, is a ''commedia per musica'' (opera buffa) in four acts composed in 1786 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with an Italian libretto written by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It premiered at the Burgtheater in Vienna ...

''; at the

Dutch National Opera The Dutch National Opera (DNO; formerly De Nederlandse Opera, now De Nationale Opera in Dutch) is a Dutch opera company based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Its present home base is the Dutch National Opera & Ballet housed in the Stopera building, a m ...

as Cleopatra in Handel's ''

Giulio Cesare ''Giulio Cesare in Egitto'' (; ; HWV 17), commonly known as , is a dramma per musica (''opera seria'') in three acts composed by George Frideric Handel for the Royal Academy of Music in 1724. The libretto was written by Nicola Francesco Haym ...

''; and at the

Salzburg Festival The Salzburg Festival () is a prominent festival of music and drama established in 1920. It is held each summer, for five weeks starting in late July, in Salzburg, Austria, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Mozart's operas are a focus of ...

as Zerlina in Mozart's ''

Don Giovanni ''Don Giovanni'' (; K. 527; full 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 Spanish legen ...

'' under Nicolaus Harnoncourt. She sang the centenary performance of ''Pelléas et Mélisande'' at the

Opéra-Comique The Opéra-Comique () is a Paris opera company which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular Théâtre de la foire, theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with – and for a time took the name of – its chief riva ...

in Paris under Minkowski and subsequently Cleopatra in ''Giulio Cesare'' under Minkowski. Later engagements include the roles of Idamante in Mozart's ''

Idomeneo (Italian for ''Idomeneus, King of Crete, or, Ilia and Idamante''; usually referred to simply as ''Idomeneo'', Köchel catalogue, K. 366) is an Italian-language opera seria by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The libretto was adapted by Giambattista Vares ...

'' at the Glyndebourne and Salzburg Festivals, Cherubino for both the

Bavarian State Opera The Bavarian State Opera () is a German opera company based in Munich. Its main venue is the Nationaltheater München, and its orchestra the Bavarian State Orchestra. History The parent ensemble of the company was founded in 1653, under El ...

in Munich and the

Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera is an American opera company based in New York City, currently resident at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center), Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Referred ...

in New York, Dorabella in Mozart's '' Cosi fan tutte'' ( Salzburg Easter Festival and in Berlin) and her return to the Metropolitan Opera as Varvara (''Katja Kabanova'') and Dorabella. She sings Zerlina with the Metropolitan Opera in Japan, returns to the Salzburg Festival for Idamante and to the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées for Melisande.

Personal life

Kožená has been married twice. Her first marriage was to the French baritone Vincent le Texier. The marriage ended in divorce after she began a relationship with Simon Rattle. Kožená and Rattle married in 2008 in

. The couple have three children.

Awards

* 2001 Gramophone Solo Vocal Award * 2001 Czech Crystal Award, Golden Prague International Television Festival – Best recording of a concert or stage performance (opera, operetta, ballet, dance, musical), Magdalena Kožená and Thierry Gregoire,

Czech Television Czech Television ( ; abbreviation: ČT) is a public television broadcaster in the Czech Republic, broadcasting six channels. Established after breakup of Czechoslovakia in 1992, it is the successor to Czechoslovak Television founded in 1953. H ...

, Brno Television Studio, Czech Republic * 2003 Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Government * 2004 Gramophone Awards Artist of the Year * 2013 Handel Prize

Recordings

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (German: Help:IPA/Standard German, �joːhan zeˈbasti̯an baχ ( – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque music, Baroque period. He is known for his prolific output across a variety ...

: ''Arias'' (1997) Archiv Produktion ** ''Arias'' (1999) Archiv Produktion ** ''Whitsun Cantatas'' (2000)

** ''Bachianas: Music by the Bach Family'' (2012) Archiv Produktion / Deutsche Grammophon *

: ''Dixit Dominus in G minor'' (1999) Archiv Produktion ** ''Italian Cantatas'' (2000) Archiv Produktion ** ''Ah! Mio Cor: Handel Arias'' (2007) Archiv Produktion *

: ''Juditha triumphans'' (Highlights) (2000)

Naïve Records Naïve Records is a French independent record label based in Paris, specializing in electronic music, pop music, jazz and classical music. Founding and expansion It was founded in 1998 by Patrick Zelnik, former CEO of Virgin France, Gilles Paire ...

** ''Juditha triumphans'' (2001) Opus 111 ** ''Opera Highlights'' (2010) Naïve Records ** ''Magdalena Kožená Sings Vivaldi'' (2009) Archiv Produktion *

Gustav Mahler Gustav Mahler (; 7 July 1860 – 18 May 1911) was an Austro-Bohemian Romantic music, Romantic composer, and one of the leading conductors of his generation. As a composer he acted as a bridge between the 19th-century Austro-German tradition and ...

: ''Des Knaben Wunderhorn; Adagio from Symphony No. 10'' (2010) Deutsche Grammophon ** ''Das Lied von der Erde'' (2018) BR Klassik *** ''Urlicht, 'Der Mensch liegt in grösster Not'(Alto). Sehr feierlich, aber schlicht; Fourth movement from Symphony No. 2'' (2010) Warner Classics *

Jakub Jan Ryba Jakub Šimon Jan Ryba (surname also Poisson, Peace, Ryballandini, Rybaville; 26 October 1765 – 8 April 1815) was a Czech people, Czech teacher and composer of european classical music, classical music. His most famous work is the ''Czech Christm ...

: ''Czech Christmas Mass; 3 Pastorellas'' (2007) Archiv Produktion ** ''Česká mše vánoční'' (2017) Universal * Vítězslav Novák: ''Piano Quintet; Songs of a Winter Night; 13 Slovak Songs'' (1999) ASV *

Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, prais ...

& Clara Schumann: ''Love's Spring'' (2021) Challenge Classics * Jan Dismas Zelenka: ''I Penitenti al Sepolcro del Redentore'' (2004) Supraphon *

Christoph Willibald Gluck Christoph Willibald (Ritter von) Gluck (; ; 2 July 1714 – 15 November 1787) was a composer of Italian and French opera in the early classical period (music), classical period. Born in the Upper Palatinate and raised in Bohemia, both part of th ...

: ''Paride ed Elena'' (2005) Archiv Produktion * '' Monteverdi'' (2016) Archiv Produktion * Brahms: ''Lieder & Liebeslieder Waltzes'' (2016) Deutsche Grammophon *

Claude Debussy Achille Claude Debussy (; 22 August 1862 – 25 March 1918) was a French composer. He is sometimes seen as the first Impressionism in music, Impressionist composer, although he vigorously rejected the term. He was among the most influe ...

: ''La Mer; Ariettes Oubliées''; Gabriel Fauré: ''Pelléas et Mélisande'' (2017) Linn / Linn Records *

: ''Nocturnes''; Maurice Duruflé: ''Requiem'' (2019) Linn Records *

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition and proficiency from an early age ...

: ''Arias'' (2006) Archiv Produktion *

Bohuslav Martinů Bohuslav Jan Martinů (; December 8, 1890 – August 28, 1959) was a Czech composer of modern classical music. He wrote 6 symphony, symphonies, 15 operas, 14 ballet scores and a large body of orchestral, chamber music, chamber, vocal and ins ...

: ''Three Fragments from the opera Juliette'' (2009) Supraphon *

Georges Bizet Georges Bizet (; 25 October 18383 June 1875) was a French composer of the Romantic music, Romantic era. Best known for his operas in a career cut short by his early death, Bizet achieved few successes before his final work, ''Carmen'', w ...

: ''Carmen'' (2012) EMI Classics / Warner Classics * ''

Cole Porter Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became Standard (music), standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway the ...

'' (2018) Brnofon *

Maurice Ravel Joseph Maurice Ravel (7 March 1875 – 28 December 1937) was a French composer, pianist and conductor. He is often associated with Impressionism in music, Impressionism along with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composer ...

; Henri Duparc: ''Aimer et mourir - Danses et mélodies'' (2018) Linn Records * ''Love Songs'' (2000) Deutsche Grammophon * ''Le Belle Immagini'' (2002) Deutsche Grammophon * ''French Arias'' (2003) Deutsche Grammophon * ''In Recital'' (2004) Deutsche Grammophon * ''Lamento'' (2005) Archiv Produktion * ''Enchantment'' (2006) Deutsche Grammophon * ''Songs My Mother Taught Me'' (2008) Deutsche Grammophon * ''Lettere Amorose'' (2010) Deutsche Grammophon * ''Love and Longing'' (2012) Deutsche Grammophon * ''3 Classic Albums'' (2014) Deutsche Grammophon * ''Prayer: Voice & Organ'' (2014) Deutsche Grammophon * ''Il Giardino dei sospiri'' (2019) PentaTone Classics * ''Soirée – Magdalena Kožená & Friends'' (2019) PentaTone Classics * ''Nostalgia: Brahms, Mussorgsky, Bartók'' (2021) PentaTone Classics * ''Musica Viva, Vol. 38: Ondřej Adámek - Follow Me; Where Are You?'' (2022) BR Klassik *
Folk Songs
' (2023) - PENTATONE *
Handel: Alcina
' (2024) - PENTATONE *
Czech Songs
' (2024) - PENTATONE

References

External links

*
Review of Kožená's album "Enchantment"
by Charles T. Downey (Ionarts, 17 September 2006) {{DEFAULTSORT:Kozena, Magdalena 1973 births Living people 20th-century Czech women opera singers 21st-century Czech women opera singers Czech operatic mezzo-sopranos Musicians from Brno Deutsche Grammophon artists Chevaliers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres Handel Prize winners Wives of knights Brno Conservatory alumni Recipients of Medal of Merit (Czech Republic) Simon Rattle