Gabriela Benacková

Gabriela Be┼[]a─ìkov├í (also Gabriela Be┼[]a─ìkov├í-─[]├ípov├í. Born March 25, 1947) is a Slovak soprano. She specializes in the music of her compatriots, particularly Eugen Sucho┼[], as well as Czech composers, notably Bed┼[]ich Smetana and Leo┼í Jan├í─ìek. She is considered to be one of the greatest 'Jenufa's' in Jan├í─ìek's opera of the same name. Her Carnegie Hall performance (and subsequent Metropolitan Opera run with Leonie Rysanek) is considered to be legendary. In 1981 Czech television starred Mrs Benackova in a definitive version of Prodana Nevesta (The Bartered Bride), which has since become a popular DVD recording available in an all-regions format(2006). That recording teamed her with the heroic tenor (fellow Slovak) Peter Dvorsky, and with bass Richard Novak and other popular singers. She completed her farewell recital tour in 2008. She has made a number of recordings, and has appeared in several filmed operas on DVD, as well as the feature film The Divine Emma, where she supplied the singing voice of the famous Czech soprano Emmy Destinn. Her voice can be heard in the movie Driving Miss Daisy singing title role "Rusalka" by Dvorak.