Jiří Rajniš

Sänger

Jiří Rajniš studierte zuerst Schauspiel am Konservatorium in Prag, darauf folgte das Gesangsstudium and der UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music in der Klasse von Vladimier Chernov in Los Angeles. Während des Studiums nahm er teil am Coaching Program an der Metropolitan Opera, wo er Belcore in der Martina Arroyo Foundation übernahm. 2013 befann seiner Karriere an der Sommeroper Bamberg, wo er die Rolle des Don Giovanni übernahm. Danach folgte ein Engagement am Landestheater Coburg von 2013 bis 2017.

Von 2017 bis 2019 war er Mitglied des Jungen Ensembles an der Semperoper in Dresden, wo er unter der musikalischen Leitung von Christian Thielemann, Alan Gilbert, John Fior Stephano Ranzani und Antonio Fogliani auftrat. Er arbeitete mit Regisseuren wie Willy Decker, Vera Nemirova, Brigitte Fassbaender und David Hermann. An der Prager Staatsoper und dem Nationaltheater Prag ist er regelmässiger Gastsänger. In seinem Repertoire sang er bereits in Don Giovanni, Eugen Onegin, Ford, Bohuš, Johny spielt auf und Escamillo. 2023 wird er im Theater Lirico di Cagliari als Escamillo zu sehen sein, ausserdem im Teatro alla Scala als Wildhüter in Rusalka.

Gastauftritte an der Welsh National Opera in Cardiff, Theater Freiburg u.a. Ausserdem Auftritte an Festivals in Tschechien, z.B. mit der Czech Philharmonie und dem Prague Symphony Orchestra oder dem Czech National Symphony Orchestra. Es sang ausserdem mit den Bamberger Symphoniker. 

Mit seiner neuen Band Napolitan Quartet singt er berühmte Neapolitanische Lieder in modernem Stil. Er arbeitet eng mit dem Tschechischen Fernsehen und Radio zusammen und publizierte seine erste CD: Spanish Songs.

Er gewann 2008 die Prager Sänger Wettbewerb und Antonin Dvořáks Internationalen Wettbewerb in Karlvovy Vary.

Am Luzerner Theater übernimmt er in der Spielzeit 22/23 die Titelpartie des Eugen Onegin in «Eugen Onegin».

Jiří Rajniš belongs to the youngest and most talented generation of operatic singers from Czech republic. He studied first drama-acting at the Prague Conservatory and afterwards opera singing at the prestigious UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music in the class of Vladimir Chernov in Los Angeles. In the meantime was taken to “The coaching program” by Metropolitan Opera´s accompanists and covered Belcore in Martina Arroyo Foundation.

He has been a member of Junges Ensemble at the Semperoper Dresden (2017-2019), where he performed under conducting batons of Christian Thielemann, Alan Gilbert, John Fiore, Stephano Ranzani, Giampaolo Bisante, Tomáš Hanus, Daniele Callegari, Antonio Fogliani to mention few. Or collaborations with stage directors (Willy Decker, Calixto Bieito, Vera Nemirova, Brigitte Fassbaender, David Hermann) and others. 


As a fixed guest creates especially leading roles at The Prague State Opera / National Theatre in Prague and his guesting includes almost all opera houses and concert halls in Czech republic and Slovakia, where he sings the world-wide and czech repertoire as Don Giovanni, Eugene Onegin, Ford, Bohuš, Count Luna, Germont, Jonny spielt auf, Sharpless, Shaunard, Escamillo and many others. 

His new successfull appearances in 2022/2023 are at Teatro Lirico di Cagliari - Escamillo (italian debut), Luzerner Theater - Eugene Onegin or Teatro alla Scala - Gamekeeper in Rusalka.

Jiří Rajniš´s international carrier started at Sommer Oper Bamberg 2013 as “Youngest czech Don Giovanni abroad”... After that went immediately to the first fixed german engagement at Landestheater Coburg , where he spent four seasons (2013-2017) and sung wider range of the opera, operetta and musical repertoire. For example Herr Fluth, Shaunard/Marcello, Peter Besenbinder, Count Almaviva, Freddy in My Fair Lady, The Death in Savitri, Fréderic in Lakmé, Harašta in The Cunning Little Wixen and many german Liederabends to mention few.

His guest appearances are very often at Welsh National Opera in Cardiff, Theater Freiburg, Immling Opera Festival, Opera Classica Europe and many others, mainly in “german spoken countries” 

Jiří is very active in concerting activities with famous festivals and philharmonies in Czech rep. (Czech Philharmonie, Prague Symphony Orchestra, Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Festival Český Krumlov, Smetanova Litomyšl and many others in the Lieder, oratoriums and cantatas form . He also sang with Bamberger Symphoniker.

He became the absolute winner of the "Prague Singer 2008 Competition" and also in the Antonín Dvořák´s International Competition in Karlovy Vary 2008. Recently became a finalist of 7th Otto Edelmann International Singing Competition in Vienna. 

He also performs with his newly formed band "Napolitan Quartet" in the performance of famous Neapolitan songs  in a special modern stylization. Very closely cooperates with Czech Television and Czech Radio. He has made his Debut CD - “Spanish Songs”.

In 2022  he will sing the part of Eugen Onegin at Luzerner Theater.

Jiří Rainiš