Ester Pavlů is one of the most promising mezzo-sopranos of the young generation, who is gradually earning renown of audiences and critics both on domestic stages and abroad.
This season, she will perform on her home stage at the National Theater in Prague in the role of Vlasta in the new staging of Fibich´s Šárka (premiere 7th November 2024). She continues to be a cornerstone of this company in the roles of Carmen, Santuzza (Cavaleria rusticana), and The Foreign Princess (Rusalka). In addition, we already had the opportunity to hear her voice this season at the opening concert of the Prague Symphony Orchestra (Mahler: Symphony No. 8 with Tomáš Brauner); she will also perform a concert version of Wagner's Tristan und Isolde with the Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra and Petr Popelka. Also, this season, she returns to Riga, Latvia in the roles of Carmen and Amneris (Aida) while in Kennedy Center, Washington they will await her recital with Slovak pianist Robert Pechanec. At the end of the season, she returns to the Prague Symphony Orchestra with Berlioz's masterful song cycle Les nuits d'été. Last but not least, we should mention her CD with a cycle of Dvořák´s songs, which she recorded with the English pianist Charles Spencer and which will be released before Christmas.
Last season's greatest achievements include The Ice Queen (Schwanda the Bagpiper) at Theater an der Wien, Eboli (Don Carlos) at the Latvian National Opera in Riga, Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 3 with the Slovak Philharmonic, an opera galas with José Cura in Hungary and with Plácido Domingo at International Music Festival in Český Krumlov. Among the commitments from previous seasons, we should at least mention guest appearances in Sofia, where she made her debut as Angelina (La cenerentola), in the Slovak National Theater in the role of the Foreign Princess, in Basel in the role of Satuzza, and in Graz - again as the Queen in Schwanda the Bagpiper. At the National Theater in Prague, the audience had the opportunity to hear her Laura (The Three Pintos), Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni), and Fenena (Nabucco). In 2021, she undertook a tour of Great Britain with the Symphony Orchestra Prague (Mahler: Symphony No. 3) and the USA (songs of Czech composers).
She collaborated with some important conductors, including Jiří Bělohlávek, Frederic Chaslin, Robert Jindra, Petr Popelka, Tomáš Netopil, Andriy Yurkevych, Pietari Inkinen, Juraj Vačuha and others.
Ester Pavlů graduated from Academy of Musical Arts in Prague in the class of Helena Kaupová. She completed master classes of Aprile Millo, Peter Dvorský, Eva Randová, Božidara Nikolova, Gabriela Beňačková and José Cura; recently her tutor is Vladimír Chmelo. Her discography includes a recording of Bohuslav Martinů's opera What Men Live By (the role of the Old Woman), which was nominated for the International Opera Awards and won the (Czech) Anděl Music Prize in the Classical Music category. She also recorded Janáček's Diary of the One Who Dissapeared (Zefka), J. B. Foerster's Love Songs and the above mentioned Dvořák album.
"Eboli's aria was written for mezzo-sopranos with a large vocal range, interesting color and powerful dramatic presence. Ester Pavlů definitely has these dispositions. With her performance, she demonstrated that we must count on her as a distinctive and successful singer." KlasikaPlus (Galaconcert with Plácido Domingo)
"As a singer, Ester Pavlů is completely prepared, her voice sounded strong enough throughout, even in places where she needed to express cynicism, but also in more subtle positions." KlasikaPlus (Carmen, National Theater in Prague)
"Ester Pavlů has a wonderfully controlled, anchored and versatile voice... Each phrase was skillfully woven to express its meaning and highlight the emotional state. The voice is lyrically appealing, able to spin finely crafted lines, confidently engage in coloratura passages and hold the audience's attention." Operawire (Don Carlo, Riga National Theatre)
"The majestic presence of Ester Pavlů ruled the stage and her sonorous mezzo-soprano enchanted with density and glamour." KlasikaPlus (Schwanda the Bagpiper, Theatre an der Wien)