Jiří Mikula

Since 1998 Jiří Mikula has been engaged permanently by the State Opera Prague, where his recent creative achievements have included the Czech premiere of Boito’s Nerone; the world premiere of Emil Viklický’s opera Phaedra; and Il Trovatore and Robert le diable. He currently conducts performances of SOP’s productions of Aida and Carmen. Jiří Mikula studied at the Prague Conservatory (oboe and conducting), and subsequently pursued his education at the Academy of Music in Prague (with Václav Neumann), simultaneously reading a PhDr course in Art History and Aesthetics at Charles University’s Faculty of Arts. He is laureate of the conducting competition at Saumur, France, and winner of the František Stupka National Conducting Competition at Olomouc. After graduation he embarked on a professional career as a conductor, initially in the Hradec Králové State Philharmonic Orchestra, then as principal conductor of the Bohemia Symphony Orchestra Poděbrady, and the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra in Olomouc. His most prestigious artistic commitments so far have included performing with Yehudi Menuhin at Paris’ Théâtre des Champs Elysées; and participation as conductor in several international megaprojects invooving productions of Aida and Nabucco, in which he worked with such stars of the world opera stage as Katia Ricciarelli, Grace Bumbry, Piero Cappuccilli and Elena Obraztsova, among others. He has also made a number of concert tours in Germany with the tenor José Cura, and has conducted over 250 concerts and opera performances all across Europe, in the U.S.A. and in Japan, working among others with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, the Prague Symphony Orchestra and other ensembles. He has to his credit over 20 CD recordings of both opera and symphonic music.