Jiří Rajniš
Jiří Rajniš belongs to the most promising and talented generation of operatic singers from the 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 2012.
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, Daniele Callegari, Antonio Fogliani to mention few. Or collaborations with stage directors (Willy Decker, Calixto Bieito, Vera Nemirova, Brigitte Fassbaender, David Hermann, Jiří Heřman, Jiří Nekvasil) and many others. He has created as a frequent guest especially leading roles at The Prague State Opera / National
Theatre in Prague and his guesting has included almost all opera houses and concert halls in Czech republic / Slovakia, where he sings the world-wide and czech repertoire such as Don Giovanni, Eugene Onegin, Ford, Count Luna, Germont, Carlo Gérard, Jonny spielt auf, Sharpless, Shaunard, Albert, Escamillo, Bohuš, Donner and many others. His successfull appearances in 2022/2023 were at Teatro Lirico di Cagliari – Escamillo, Luzerner Theater – Eugene Onegin or Teatro alla Scala Debut as First Nazarener in Salome – (Zubin Mehta / Damiano Michieletto 2023), Gamekeeper in Rusalka (Tomáš Hanus / Emma Dante 2023) or upcoming inaugural piece in 2025/2026 – Lady Macbeth from Mcensk under the baton of GMD (Riccardo Chailly).
The young baritone has been newly casted as Guglielmo in a co-production of Cosí fan Tutte (2023/2024 and 2024/2025) at couple of prestigious Italian theatres. To name few: Teatro Comunale Pavarotti-Freni in Modena, Teatro Pergolesi in Jesi, Teatro Verdi in Pisa, Teatro Sociale di Rovigo or in Opéra-Théâtre de Metz (French debut). Season 2023/2024 included Belgian debut as Gamekeeper in Rusalka at Opéra Royal de Wallonie in Liége and will continue there as Tomeš in Smetana´s The Kiss (2026/2027). Jiří Rajniš´ international carrier started at Sommer Oper Bamberg 2013 as “the Czech youngest Don Giovanni abroad”…
After that he 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 in german spoken coutries. For example at Theater Freiburg, Immling Opera Festival and many others. Jiří is very active in concerting activities with famous festivals and philharmonies in the 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. He became recently a finalist of 7th Otto Edelmann International Singing Competition in Vienna and 19th International Festival of Operatic Singers Marie Kraja at The National Theatre of Opera and Ballet of Albania. 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 the Czech Television and Czech Radio. He has released his Debut CD – “Spanish Songs”.