Pribyl, Vilém

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Přibyl, Vilém

Pribyl, Vilém , Czech tenor; b. Náchod, April 10, 1925; d. Brno, July 13, 1990. After making his debut with an amateur opera company in Hradec Králové (1952), he pursued vocal instruction there with Jakoubková (1952–62); sang at the opera in Ústí nad Labem (1960) and at the Janáček Opera in Brno (1960); also received further training from Vavrdová at the Brno Academy of Music. He gained notable success with his portrayal of Dalibor with the Prague National Theater Opera during its visit to the Edinburgh Festival (1964); then appeared in various European music centers; also taught at the Janáček Academy of Arts in Brno (from 1969). In 1969 he was made an Artist of Merit and in 1977 a National Artist by the Czech government. His repertoire included Lohengrin, Radamès, and Otello, as well as roles in operas by Prokofiev, Martinů, and Shostakovich; he was especially esteemed for his roles in operas by Janáček.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire