WELCOME

Soprano Kristýna Kůstková is a PhD student at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (and the recipient of the Bauše Ruys Award for the best student of the Academy of 2022). She is also a graduate of the master’s program at the Mannes School of Music in New York, where she studied with the support of numerous scholarships and grants. In the USA, she has performed at prestigious venues such as Weil Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall and the Union Club as part of the Mannes Sounds Festival. She has regularly collaborated with the Czech Center in New York (solo recital at Bohemian National Hall, concerts, and online programs) and the National Czech and Slovak Museum in Cedar Rapids. For her contribution to spreading Czech culture in the USA, she received the Gold Crystal Heart Award in 2020. She has also worked with Opera New York (Off-Broadway Theatre Operetta Gala and the concert Christmas in Italy at Carnegie Hall). Additionally, she has collaborated with pianist Gioradna Fiori (a song recital at Le Frak Concert Hall, excerpts from Carmen - Frasquita at Elebash Concert Hall, SongSlam Festival, and a solo recital in Rome).

 

In 2024, she won 2nd prize in the Italian A. Belli competition and secured an engagement in the opera studio for the 2024–26 seasons. She appeared as Anita Garibaldi (world premiere of the opera Anita) and Vanda (La Smorfia) at Teatro Caio Melisso. For her work in the 2024 season, she received the Spoleto Gioielli Award for Best Singer. In June 2025, she will perform at the Festival dei Due Mondi as Lavia in the opera Hadrian at Teatro Nuovo Gian Carlo Menotti.

She also regularly performs in opera houses across the Czech Republic: State Opera Prague (Modistin – Der Rosenkavalier), South Bohemian Theatre (First Lady – The Magic Flute), Moravian Theatre Olomouc (Gretel – Hansel and Gretel, Pamina – The Magic Flute), Pilsen Opera (First Wood Sprite – Rusalka), National Moravian-Silesian Theatre (Kaťuška – The Devil’s Wall) and Silesian Theatre Opava (Musetta – La Bohème).

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From the age of seven until 2012, Kristýna was a member and soloist of the Children’s Opera Prague, participating in numerous international tours including trips to Germany, Austria, France and Italy; recording of several CDs and taking part in the Czech Television educational program "We enjoy opera!". She studied voice with Jitka Forstová during this time. As a soloist, she performed at the New Stage of the Czech National Theatre as Esmeralda in the Bartered Bride, and in productions like Mozart’s Leporello (Zerlina, Susanna), The Little Sweep (Tina, Guy) and many other performances under the Czech National Theatre. 

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She started studying classical voice at Pardubice Conservatory in the class of Jarmila Chaloupková and Antonio Carangelo. During her studies, she regularly performed with the Pardubice Conservatory Smyphonic Orchestra, Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Pardubice or Hradec Králové Philharmonic Orchestra. She also performed several main roles in performances Mozart Pasticcio, Die Zauberflöte (Pamina), Suor Angelica (Angelica) and Puccini gala (Musetta in the East Bohemian Theatre). She was awarded several times Prize from Pardubice Region for the most successful students and in 2017 the Prize Young Talent of Pardubice Region.

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In 2016, she debuted as Pamina in The Magic Flute at the Moravian Theatre Olomouc and she performed at Gala concert with Štefan Margita and the Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Pardubice. She also performed at the Closing night concert of Rusalka Exhibition in the Bohemian National Hall in New York with members of The MET Lindemann Young Artist Development Program and sang Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro) in the Project of RunOperun Prague. In 2018, she performed with Adam Plachetka at Pardubice Music Spring Festival in a baroque recital and gave a solo recital at Rudolfinum as part of the Romantic Evenings concert series. 

 

She frequently performs with the ensemble Baroco Sempre Giovane, violinist Václav Hudeček and experimental opera ensemble RunOperun (The Logic of Chaos opera, project OpeRave, various concerts etc.) In addition to her operatic work, she is also active in concerts not only in the Czech Republic, but also in other countries including Italy, Germany or USA.

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She is a laureate of several competitions: the Absolute winner of the Contest of Conservatories and holder of 1st Prizes in the International Singing Competition Prague Singer, Dušek competition, Antonín Dvořák International Competition in the category Promising Opera Singer and the Singing Competition in Olomouc, where she also won the title of Laureate and the Prize of artistic head of opera and operetta of the Moravian Theatre. In 2018, she won 2nd prize in the Antonín Dvořák International Competition in the category Junior, Honorable mention in the Song category and Prizes of Jarmila Novotná, Antonín Dvořák Society, Carangelo Belcanto Academy and Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra. She also won 2nd Prize at Bohuslav Martinů Fund Competition 2021 and 2nd Prize and "Voci Bianchi Prize" at Concorso Comunita Europea A. Belli 2024.

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She has contributed to several recordings, including: the Czech Christmas Mass (Jiří Trtík, Petr Nekoranec, Marie Svobodová, Pavel Vančura), the Christmas carol Josef můj kochaný on the album Christmas Stories (Harafica, Adam Plachetka), vocals in Mistři světa všeho (Kapitán Demo) and she was featured in the final episode of the Starz series Dangerous Liaisons, where she sang and played the role of Camille.

 

Her studies in New York were generously supported by the Ministry of Culture CZ, Bakala Foundation, Karel Komárek Family Foundation, Hlávka Foundation, Život umělce Foundation, Czech Music Fund, Foundation of Antonín Dvořák and Foundation of Věra Třebická-Řivnáčová.

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