Roman Janál

Roman Janal is a noted Czech baritone.

He began his childhood musical studies by taking violin, and he graduated from the Pilsen Conservatory with a major in violin playing. He began higher education at the Prague Music Academy in 1985. There he switched his emphasis to singing.

Attracted by the Bulgarian tradition of powerful lower-voice singing, he continued to study at the Music Academy in Sofia. While there, he began to sing in the National Theater. His debut was at Banska Bystrica in Czechoslovakia, after which he joined the Prague Chamber Opera (now Opera Mozart).

In 1995 he won first place at the Antonín Dvorák International Singing Competition in Karlovy Var (Karlsbad). He studied interpretation with Peter Schreier, Sherrill Milnes, and Eva Randova. He debuted at the State Opera in Prague in two leading Mozart roles, Guglielmo in Così fan tutte and Figaro in The Marriage of Figaro. He soon joined the roster of that opera house.

In 1997 he joined the Prague National Theater (the leading opera house in the Czech Republic), which has taken him on several successful tours. In addition he is a favorite at music festivals throughout Europe, including the Europalia Brussels, Prague Autumn, and Festival Pontes. In addition to his reputation as a Mozart specialist, he frequently appears in the music of his countryman Bohuslav Martinu. He participated in the major retrospective "Days of Bohuslav Martinu" series in London in 1998, and in the Martinu Festival of Amsterdam.

Janal also is active on the concert stage and as a solo recitalist. He frequently appears with the Prague Philharmonia Orchestra with its conductor, Jirí Belohlávek, and is a regular performer on Czech Radio. His compact disc releases include Martinu's Voice of the Forest on the Supraphon label, and Pavel Haas' The Charlatan on Decca-London, as well as music of Mozart, Dvorák, Schubert, and Schulhoff.