About this Artist
Bass-baritone Adam Plachetka was born in Prague, Czech Republic in May 1985 and graduated from the Prague Conservatory in 2006. In addition to his many national competition victories, Adam won First Prize at Antonín Dvořák’s International Vocal Competition.
In 2005 Adam made his debut at the National Theatre in Prague and has since returned as Don Giovanni, Figaro Le nozze di Figaro, Nardo La finta giardiniera, Argante Rinaldo and Guglielmo Cosí fan tutte. Adam has also appeared as Don Basilio Il barbiere di Siviglia and Papageno Die Zauberflöte at the Prague State Opera. Adam is a regular guest artist of the Salzburger Festspiele, where he has performed in Benvenuto Cellini, Rusalka, Le nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni.
In September 2010, Adam became a member of the ensemble at the Wiener Staatsoper. After making his debut as Schaunard La bohéme, he moved on to such roles as Don Basilio, Melisso Alcina, Masetto, the title role Don Giovanni, Dulcamara L'elisir d'amore, Figaro, the Count, Guglielmo and Publio La clemenza di Tito. Other recent engagements also include title role Le nozze di Figaro for his debut at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and for Houston Grand Opera, Belcore L’elisir d’amore at The Metropolitan Opera and Royal Opera House Covent Garden, and Spectre’s Bride at the Wiener Konzerthaus.
Adam has worked with many eminent conductors including Valery Gergiev, Daniel Harding, Jakub Hrůša, Louis Langrée, Marc Minkowski, John Nelson, Tomáš Netopil, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Robin Ticciati and Franz Welser-Möst. On the concert platform, Adam has appeared with the Czech Philharmonic, Filharmonie Bohuslava Martinů, Plzenska Filharmonie, Prazska Komorni Filharmonie and Statni Filharmonie Brno. Last season, he made notable collaborations with the Bayerische Rundfunk in Mozart’s Requiem conducted by Mariss Jansons and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic for Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas. He has also appeared with baroque orchestras including the Camerata Antique Seoul, Collegium Marianum, Ensemble Baroque, Solamente Naturali and performed Bach’s Mass in B minor with Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Riccardo Muti. Adam also specialises in Lieder recitals and has performed in Vienna, Prague, Graz and London.
Adam’s discography includes ‘Handel’s Oratorio Arias’ with Czech Ensemble Baroque (released 2012), ‘Antonin Dvořák Songs’ with Gary Matthewman at the piano (released 2014), ‘Adam Plachetka LIVE Antonín Dvořák, Bedřich Smetana’ with Filharmonie Bohuslava Martinů and Robert Jindra (released 2014) and two live recordings on the Deutsche Grammophon label; Publio La Clemenza di Tito and Guglielmo Cosi fan tutte with Maestro Yannick Nézét-Séguin for Baden-Baden Festival.
Highlights of recent seasons included Leporello, Guglielmo and Masetto Don Giovanni at the Metropolitan Opera, Papageno at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and Salzburg Festival, and Dulcamara L’elisir d’amore, Don Giovanni, Riccardo I Puritanti, Malatesta Don Pasquale, Mustafa Italiana in Algeri and Count Le nozze di Figaro at the Wiener Staatsoper.
Engagements in the 2018-19 season include his eagerly-awaited debut at the Opéra de Paris as Alidoro La Cenerentola, a return to the Metropolitan Opera as Leporello Don Giovanni, multiple returns to the Wiener Staatsoper in roles including Don Giovanni, Figaro and Dulcamara and concert appearances at Salzburg Festival’s Mozartwoche for Mozart’s Requiem and Bruckner’s Te Deum with the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra.