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+420 777 845 089   |   virginie.walterova@post.cz

Virginie Walterová – mezzosoprano

Winner of the prestigious World Prize of Antonín Dvořák (awarded in 2001 by the Masaryk Academy of Arts and the European Union of Arts)

Born in České Budějovice (Budweis, South Bohemia), graduated from the Prague Conservatory and the Music Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague in the class of Libuše Domanínská and Karel Berman. She studied singing also in baroque interpretation courses with Professor Helmuth Rilling in Stuttgart, and was selected personally by Jarmila Novotná, a famous Czech soprano and one of Maestro Toscanini's favourite singers at the Metropolitan Opera, to study privately with her in New York.

Virginie Walterová has devoted most of her career to concert stage – she belongs to the best Czech performers of song cycles, cantata and oratorio field. She achieved success at the Bach Competition in Leipzig, and at the International Singing Competition of Antonín Dvořák in Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad) - and won the 1st Prize of the Czech Radio for her interpretation of the song cycle Proverbs by Zdeněk Lukáš. In the song repertoire, she focuses primarily on interpretation of romantic and contemporary music (Schumann, Brahms, Dvořák, Smetana, Janáček, Eben, Lukáš, Koníř, Růžička, Douša etc.). She performed her recitals, among others, at important festivals - Bodensee,  Kyoto, Sapporo, New York or Singapore. She works on chamber projects with excellent pianists, such as Prof. Jaroslav Šaroun, prof. Karel Prokop, and, in particular , with the famous organist and choirmaster of the Basilica at Strahov in Prague, Vladimír Roubal, mostly in intepreting sacred music composed by Antonín Dvořák, especially Bibilical Songs (Sulzbach, Görlitz, Zlatá Koruna monastery, České Budějovice, Hradec Králové etc.).

Her solo concert activites are abundant – she performed in many European countries, USA, Japan, Singapore or Egypt – at random, „Week of Prague Culture in Kyoto“ with a solo recital of songs by A. Dvořák;  the success of this event was followed by invitations to perform with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Nagoya city, or to concerts in Sapporo, Fuokoka and others. As a member of the solo quartet she also appeared  in a number of major vocal-instrumental compositions (approx. 80 items) - for example, A. Dvořák – Stabat Mater in the cathedral of Reims, St. Ludmila Oratorio by the same author at the International Festival of Sacred Music in Wroclaw and in Saarbrücken, numerous concert performances of Requiem by A. Dvořák, G. Verdi or W.A. Mozart; recently, in particular, the IX. Symphony by L. van Beethoven with Cairo Symphony Orchestra in Cairo. She performed together with Edita Gruberova in an opera recital of the works by Donizetti and Bellini (CD Supraphon - CBS LONDON).

She collaborated also with ensembles specializing in ancient music (Ars rediviva, Musica Bohemica).

A significant part of her activities was undoubtedly performing of solo vocal parts in sacred works with the Choir of the St. James Basilica in Prague under baton of Josef Hercl, which represents more than 85 masses, oratorios and cantatas. At present, she contiunes these activities in the Basilica of Assumption of Virgin Mary at Strahov, Prague, being the soloist of Collegium Strahoviense ensemble with the conductor Vladimír Roubal.

She is also the soloist of Prague Original Music Theatre, performing in „Wonderful Dvořák“.

Virginie Walterová works also as a teacher at the Conservatory and High School of J. Ježek in Prague, and Musical High School in Prague - Žižkov.

For more details please see also the biographical encyclopedia of top personalities of the Czech Republic - „Who is who?“, or its Swiss version „Who is who?“ – Hübners Blaues

Discography– profile CD and DVD

Czech Sacred Music (Bonton Classic)

Antonín Dvořák: Biblical Songs; Three Spiritual Songs

Petr Eben: The Song of Ruth

Zdeněk Lukáš: Proverbs

Co-performing: Karel Hron, Petr Eben – organ

Virginie Walterová (Ultraphon)

O. Respighi, A. Vivaldi, D. Scarlatti, G.F. Händel etc.

Co-performing: B. Martinů Quarter, Musica Bohemica -  art. leader J. Krček

Johannes Brahms – Songs (GZ Loděnice)

V. Walterová – mezzosoprano

V. Kříž - baritone

J. Heger – alto, quinton

J. Šaroun – piano

Bohuslav Martinů – Songs (Panton)

V. Walterová – mezzosoprano

J. Šaroun – piano

WORLD PREMIERE – Biblical Songs first on DVD

A. Dvořák – Biblical Songs, op. 99 (HPC)

V. Walterová – mezzosoprano

V. Roubal – organ

Picture Director: Petr Skala