Tenor Pavel Černoch sings Jeník in The Bartered Bride at Teatro Real in Madrid
Czech tenor Pavel Černoch will appear as Jeník in a new production of The Bartered Bride at the prestigious Teatro Real opera house in Madrid. The gala premiere will take place on 14 April 2026. This new staging of Smetana’s most famous opera is being prepared by conductor Gustavo Gimeno and the renowned director and costume designer Laurent Pelly. The production’s visual identity also draws on a historical Czechoslovak postage stamp designed by Karel Svolinský.
“Jeník is a character full of energy, emotion, and humanity, and one of the pinnacles of the tenor repertoire. So far, I have only sung him in Paris and Prague, where I appeared in this role twice as a guest. That makes me all the more excited about performing him in Madrid,” says Pavel Černoch.
Speaking about the current Madrid production, he adds: “The direction places strong emphasis on character development and unfolds individual situations in an almost cinematic way. At the same time, it preserves the original storyline according to the libretto, which is always very welcome and, above all, clearly comprehensible for the audience.” The production’s connection to tradition is also reflected in its promotional visuals, which feature a historical Czechoslovak postage stamp depicting a girl in folk costume, created by painter Karel Svolinský.
Teatro Real is not entirely unfamiliar to Pavel Černoch: “I have performed in Madrid before. It was in Tchaikovsky’s opera Iolanta fourteen years ago, so this return feels all the more significant.”
Bedřich Smetana’s The Bartered Bride is among the most frequently performed works of the Czech operatic repertoire on international stages. The production is a co-production with opera houses in Cologne, Brussels, and Lyon. The cast is international; the role of the Ringmaster (Principál) will also be performed by another Czech singer, Jaroslav Březina.
More about the production and cast: https://www.teatroreal.es/es/espectaculo/novia-vendida
Pavel Černoch is widely regarded as one of the leading Czech tenors of today. He regularly performs at major international venues such as the Vienna State Opera, Bavarian State Opera, and the Royal Opera House, and collaborates with leading conductors and orchestras. The role of Jeník will also feature in his upcoming international engagements next season.
Following the Madrid run of The Bartered Bride, he will appear in May 2026 in Helsinki as Faust in Lili Boulanger’s cantata Faust et Hélène and excerpts from Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust. In June, he will perform as the Prince in a concert version of Dvořák’s Rusalka with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, alongside Sonya Yoncheva in the title role. In July 2026, he will reprise the role of the Prince in several performances of Rusalka at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich under the baton of Petr Popelka.
Czech audiences will have the opportunity to hear Pavel Černoch on 8 August at the closing gala concert of the International Music Festival in Český Krumlov.