DOUBRAVKA NOVOTNÁ - BIOGRAPHY

Doubravka Novotná was born in Hodonín. She graduated from the Brno Conservatory and later from the Janáček Academy of Performing Arts (JAMU), where she studied under soprano Helena Kaupová and obtained her Master of Arts (MgA) degree in 2020. She has received awards in various competitions, including the Conservatory Competition in Pardubice, the International Singing Competition Olomouc, and the Antonin Dvorak’s International Singing Competition in Karlovy Vary, where she also won several additional prizes.

Doubravka gained her first stage experience during her studies. For the chamber opera of JAMU, she performed the roles of the Queen of the Night in Mozart’s The Magic Flute, The Wise Woman in Carl Orff’s opera of the same name, and Susanna in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro. Her professional debut took place at the National Theatre in Prague, where she performed as Jano in Janáček’s Jenůfa. She portrayed Oscar in Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera, the Waiter in Janáček’s The Excursions of Mr. Brouček, the First Wood Nymph in Dvořák’s Rusalka, the Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute, Zerlina in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Frasquita in Bizet’s Carmen, and the Young Mařenka in Smetana’s The Bartered Bride.

At the J. K. Tyl Theatre in Pilsen, Doubravka performed the role of Ophelia in Ambroise Thomas’s Hamlet, for which she was nominated for the Thalia Award. She also performed this role in Krefeld, Germany. In Pilsen, she further appeared as Ilia in Mozart’s Idomeneo and as both Micaëla and Frasquita in Carmen. She made her debut at the South Bohemian Theatre as Helen of Troy in Arrigo Boito’s Mefistofele.

Doubravka is also a regular guest at the National Theatre Brno, where she performs Musetta in Puccini’s La Bohème, Morgana in Handel’s Alcina, and the Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute.

At the National Moravian-Silesian Theatre, Doubravka portrayed Julietta in Bohuslav Martinů’s Julietta, or the Key to Dreams and Elinor in Jaroslav Křička’s The Lord in White or No Haunts left for Ghosts. Both roles earned her nominations for the Jantar Award.

She is also dedicated to early music. With the Musica Florea ensemble, she performed as Bärbchen in Jiří Antonín Benda’s singspiel The Village Market. With the Volantes Orchestra, she staged Karl Ditters von Dittersdorf’s oratorio Il Davide nella Valle di Terebintho. In collaboration with Collegium 1704 and the National Theatre Brno, she appeared as Morgana in Handel’s Alcina, a role for which she was nominated for the Thalia Award.

Her collaboration with the Janáček Philharmonic Ostrava on Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 was ranked among the highlights of the 2021/2022 season.

In the 2022/2023 season, Doubravka played the lead role of Madeleine in Paul Abraham’s operetta Ball im Savoy at the State Opera in Prague. She also performed as Nannetta in Verdi’s Falstaff and as Valencienne in Franz Lehár’s The Merry Widow at the National Theatre Brno. She continued her collaboration with the National Moravian-Silesian Theatre in Ostrava, where she portrayed Eve and Bubikopf in two one-act operas The Broken Jug and The Emperor of Atlantis by Viktor Ullmann in February 2023. At the Prague National Theatre, Doubravka appeared as the Siren in Dvořák’s Armida. She concluded the season at the J. K. Tyl Theatre in Pilsen with a production of Bernstein’s Candide, performing as Cunegonde.