Ester Pavlů is a Czech mezzo-soprano widely recognized as one of the most outstanding figures in today’s opera scene. She is a permanent soloist with the National Theatre Opera in Prague, where her roles have included Carmen, Santuzza, the Foreign Princess, and Vlasta in Fibich’s Šárka. She has performed as a guest artist in Riga, Sofia, Basel, Graz, Vilnius, and at Vienna’s Theater an der Wien. The Vienna production of Švanda dudák, in which Ester sings the Queen, is currently nominated for Production of the Year at the Austrian Musiktheaterpreis awards.
She has worked with conductors such as Jiří Bělohlávek, Tomáš Netopil, Juraj Valčuha, and Petr Popelka. Her discography includes recordings of Bohuslav Martinů’s opera What Men Live By, Janáček’s The Diary of One Who Disappeared, and Dvořák’s songs. Her recording of What Men Live By received the Anděl Award and a nomination for the International Opera Awards. In 2025, she will debut in the world premiere of David Buckley’s Oracle, further expanding her repertoire into contemporary works. She also appears in her signature role of Carmen at the grand finale of the Český Krumlov International Music Festival.
