Leos janacek biography

Leoš Janácek (–) was one of the most original operatic composers of the early 20th century. A late developer, he was fifty when he completed his first mature opera, Jenufa, and wrote much of his greatest music in his final decade.

Janácek was born in the village of Hukvaldy in Northern Moravia (now part of the Czech Republic). At the age of 11 he became a chorister at the Augustinian Monastery in Brno. He went on to further studies at the Prague Organ School, the Leipzig and Vienna conservatories, and the Czech Teachers’ Institute in Brno.

Leos janacek biography

For many years he worked as a teacher in Brno, including as Director of the Brno Organ School (–), and conducted choral societies, for which he wrote his first compositions. Janácek decided to write operas after reviewing opera productions in Brno for the musical journal Hudební listy (which he founded).

However, for years he had limited success. His first opera, Šárka () remained unperformed for decades, his second, The Beg