Gabriela Benackova Slovak opera soprano singer Date of Birth: 25.03.1947 Country: Slovakia

Biography of Gabriela Benackova

Gabriela Benackova is a Slovak opera singer and soprano. She made her debut in 1970 in Prague, where she performed the role of Natasha in Sergei Prokofiev's opera "War and Peace". Benackova specializes in performing the music of her fellow countrymen, particularly the contemporary Slovak composer Eugen Suchoň, as well as Czech composers such as Bedřich Smetana and Leoš Janáček. She has gained a reputation as one of the greatest interpreters of the role of Jenufa in Janáček's opera of the same name. Her performance as Jenufa at Carnegie Hall in New York and subsequent performances at the Metropolitan Opera, alongside Austrian dramatic soprano Leonie Rysanek, have become legendary.

In 1981, Czech television produced a television version of Smetana's comic opera "The Bartered Bride", with Gabriela Benackova in the lead role. Since then, this telefilm has become one of the most popular versions of the opera and is currently available on DVD. The recording featured the participation of Slovak lyric tenor Peter Dvorský, bass Richard Novak, and other popular performers of that time.

Benackova's farewell concert tour took place in 2008. The singer has made several recordings and has also appeared in a number of opera films, which are now available on DVD. For example, she took part in the filming of "Andrea Chénier" in 1981, playing and singing the role of Maddalena de Coigny. In 1985, she played Marguerite in the television version of "Faust". In 1989, she participated in the filming of "Mefistofele", playing the dual role of Margherita and Elena, as part of the project "Great Performances". In 1990, Benackova performed the role of Leonore in the television version of Beethoven's only opera "Fidelio", produced by the Royal Opera House. A notable recording in her discography is the opera "Rusalka" by Czech composer Antonín Dvořák, conducted by Václav Neumann.

In addition to her opera career, Benackova appeared in the 1979 feature film "The Divine Emma", where her voice was dubbed by an actress portraying Emma Destinn.