„…her luxurious soprano, bright, classy and effortless…”
Regarded as one of the most promising singers of her generation, Slovak soprano Slávka Zámečníková is celebrated for the clarity and flexibility of her voice, expressive artistry, and commanding stage presence. She has attracted international attention through appearances at leading opera houses, including the Vienna State Opera, Berlin State Opera, Opéra National de Paris, and San Francisco Opera. Having received prizes at the Moniuszko Competition, Neue Stimmen, and Belvedere Competition in 2019, she has since established herself on leading international stages.
Since joining the Vienna State Opera in 2020/21, she has performed an extensive repertoire there, including Norina (Don Pasquale), Donna Anna (Don Giovanni), Micaëla and Frasquita (Carmen), Sophie (Der Rosenkavalier), Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro), Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), Nannetta (Falstaff), Musetta (La Bohème), Sophie (Werther), Marzelline (Fidelio), and Servilia (La clemenza di Tito). She drew particular attention as Poppea (L’incoronazione di Poppea) and Euridice (L’Orfeo) in a new staging of Monteverdi’s trilogy under Pablo Heras-Casado with Concentus Musicus Wien, and was nominated for the Austrian Music Theatre Prize 2022 for her portrayal of Poppea. She has also sung the soprano solo in ballet premieres of Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 and Haydn’s Die Jahreszeiten.
The current season includes her awaited debut at Teatro alla Scala as Micaëla (Carmen) and her first Mařenka in a new production of Smetana’s The Bartered Bride at the Vienna State Opera. In Germany, she appears in recital at the Frankfurt Opera and makes her debut at the Gewandhaus Leipzig in Haydn’s Die Jahreszeiten with Franz Welser-Möst.
Highlights of the past season were her critically acclaimed debut as Gilda (Rigoletto) at the Opéra National de Paris, her first appearance in the Semperoper Dresden as Musetta (La Bohème), her celebrated debut as Pamina in the premiere of Die Zauberflöte at the Vienna State Opera, her Ilia (Idomeneo) at the Berlin State Opera as well as debut at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein as Prima Donna in the premiere of Donizetti’s Viva la mamma.
Earlier seasons brought her remarkable US debut as Adina (L’elisir d’amore) at the San Francisco Opera, as well as her debut as Donna Anna in the new production of Don Giovanni under Daniel Barenboim at the Berlin State Opera, where she also sang her first Nannetta (Falstaff), the title role of Poppea (L’incoronazione di Poppea), and Dircé (Medée). She further made a celebrated debut at the Opéra National de Paris as Musetta (La Bohème). Additionally, she performed at the Maifestspiele in the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden, appearing as Contessa (Le nozze di Figaro) and Ilia (Idomeneo) in new productions in 2019 and 2021. She appeared also in the Staatsoper Stuttgart as Nannetta (Falstaff), in the Slovak National Theatre as Pamina (Die Zabuerflöte) and Musetta (La Bohème) and sang her first Sophie (Werther) in the Prague National Theatre.
Holding a scholarship of Liz Mohn Kultur- und Musikstiftung during the seasons 2017/18 and 2018/19, she was a member of the International Opera Studio of the Berlin State Opera, achieving successes as First Lady (Die Zauberflöte), Miss Jessel (Turn of the Screw), Falke (Die Frau ohne Schatten), and as Chasseresse (Hyppolite et Aricie) under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle.
Concerts have brought her to the Elbphiharmonie Hamburg, the Philharmonie de Paris, the Oviedo Filarmonia, the Vaduz Classic Festival, the Prague Spring Festival, the Czech Philharmonic, the Rheingau Musik Festival, the Konzerthaus Berlin, etc..
The soprano has been awarded Third Prize at the prestigious international competition Neue Stimmen 2019 in Gütersloh as well as at the renowned International Hans Gabor Belvedere Competition in Villach. She has also been awarded Second Prize at the greatest Polish competition – International Stanislaw Moniuszko Competition in Teatr Wielki in Warsaw and at the German national competition – Bundeswettbewerb Gesang Berlin 2018. She received First Prizes at the International Competition Accademia Belcanto 2018 in Graz, the International Antonín Dvořák Competition 2016 in Carlsbad, the International Mikulas Schneider-Trnavsky Competition 2017 as well as the International Iuventus Canti Competition 2015 in Slovakia. In the summer 2016, she received Third Prize, the Audience Award and the Daegu Opera House Award at the Otto Edelmann International Competition in Vienna as well as a Special Award at the Concorso lirico Internationale di Portofino in Italy.
Slávka Zámečníková graduated from the Bratislava Conservatory and finished her Master degree and Konzertexamen degree at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin under the tutelage of Anna Samuil. In addition, she has participated in various master-classes and workshops with renowned KS Anna Tomowa-Sintow, KS Brigitte Fassbaender, KS Francisco Araiza, Patricia McCaffrey, Neil Shicoff, Renée Morloc, Thomas Quasthoff, Gregory Lamar and Luciana D’Intino. She has also been mentored by Deborah Polaski, KS Julia Varády, Matthias Samuil and Wolfram Rieger.
In addition, she is a scholarship recipient of the Junge Musiker Stiftung and the Deutschlandstipendium.