Adam Plachetka on 10 years at the Met and what comes next
Adam Plachetka is one of Czechia’s leading opera singers. This year marks ten years since his debut at New York’s Metropolitan Opera. Since then, he’s become a regular there and has also performed on other major stages around the world. Now he’s back home for the summer, working on a range of new projects. I caught up with him to talk about his recent roles in New York, his long-awaited debut in Carmen, and what’s coming next.
First of all, this year marks 10 years since your debut at the Met. What goes through your head when you look back at your first performance? I believe it was Massetto in Mozart's Don Giovanni.
"You're correct. I actually had no idea that it's been 10 years, but it's nice to know now that somebody told me. It's a great house to be at and I'm just happy that I'm lucky enough to be invited back regularly every season."
You will be returning there very soon as Leporello in Don Giovanni and also as Camillo in Bizet's Carmen. How does it feel to be back in those roles, especially at a place that's become such a big part of your life?
"The Don Giovanni production we created two years ago, if I'm not mistaken. It's not a bad one, and it's a good group of people, so I think that's going to be enjoyable.
"And after years of first saying no to it and then having things cancelled during COVID or just not happening, it's actually going to be my first Carmen, even though I've been offered it for the past, basically, 20 years.
"So I'm looking forward to that. I'm kind of wondering how it's going to feel, but I hope it’s going to be OK."
You said you have been offered it for years. Why have you said no?
"Because the role is challenging, and you should be accomplished to a point where you can sing it without harming your voice. I've been doing the aria in concerts for years, but I was always very careful with that.
"I think I said yes to it for the first time in 2015, but for scheduling reasons, it couldn't happen.
"Then I finally decided it was time to do it. I had two Carmen productions planned for the 2021 season, and both were cancelled due to COVID. So it started to feel like it wasn’t meant to be.
"But now, due to other scheduling issues, we actually swapped Carmen in for another production I was supposed to do instead. So I'm happy. It looks like it’s finally going to happen."
You've spent quite a lot of time recently in the US. How does the American audience compare to the European one?
"Well, I don’t like to generalize too much, but often it is people who haven’t been to an opera performance before, simply because the country is huge and not every town has an opera house.
“In America, people tend to respond more intuitively, reacting to emotions and the general atmosphere rather than analyzing whether every note was perfect."
"In Europe, especially in Central Europe, like Germany, Austria, or the Czech Republic, we’re used to having an opera house for every million inhabitants, which is incredible. The culture and tradition are deeply rooted, and kids go with schools, even if their parents wouldn’t take them.
"So in Europe, it’s actually more difficult to avoid classical music. Audiences there tend to be a bit more experienced. In America, it’s more often someone who’s never been to the theatre, let alone the opera. They tend to respond more intuitively, reacting to emotions and the general atmosphere rather than analyzing whether every note was perfect."
You did The Marriage of Figaro twice this season—first as Figaro in Florida, then as the Count at the Met. What was it like switching between those characters so close together?
"I’ve been switching for about 10 years now, maybe even longer, so I’m used to it. I think it’s easier to do that in Mozart’s operas. I’ve also done it a few times in Rossini, and that’s more of a challenge. The music is faster, and the ensembles are not necessarily more complex, but probably harder to put together.
"In Mozart, if you follow the synopsis and what makes sense dramatically, you usually won’t go wrong. I enjoy the diversity, and I’m happy to experience both roles. Also, working with Luca Pisaroni in New York was great—we’ve done it both ways before, and when the other person has done the opposite role, they know exactly what you need. That makes life much easier."
You have recently performed in Prague with the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra. How often do you get the chance to sing for Czech audiences these days?
"I was more or less gone for about 10 years, and now I’m trying to be back as much as possible. The kids are at an age where they still want me around, and I don’t want to miss out on that. So I try to stay closer to home when I can, though it’s not always easy.
"With the Radio Symphony, we’ve had a great, ongoing relationship, and I’m always happy to return. This concert was part of a larger project—we recorded an operetta CD with my wife last season, it was released in January, and this was the first concert in Prague where we presented it. It was also recorded by Czech TV, so it was more of a full event than just a one-off concert."
As you said, it was full of operetta pieces. What draws you to this kind of music?
"Actually, it wasn’t even our idea. Radio Service, the label of Czech Radio, asked us if we’d consider doing operetta. We collaborate regularly, but this idea hadn’t crossed our minds before. Then we realized that it’s something that hasn’t really been done much in recent decades.
"In fact, the Czech TV producer told me he went through their archives and couldn’t find a single concert of that kind. So it seems this repertoire has been neglected for a long time—and it felt like the right moment to bring it back."
And you were performing together with your wife. How often do the two of you get the chance to sing together?
“Right now, I’m in what you might call a transitional period. I like to think of it more as expanding my repertoire than changing it, but I’m slowly moving into heavier roles.”
"We used to perform together a lot when I was still in Prague—we did basically every Mozart opera available at the Estates Theatre and National Theatre. Then we drifted apart in terms of repertoire. My wife moved on to heavier roles that I wasn’t ready for at the time, but now I’m catching up.
"So lately we’ve been working together more again. We did The Cunning Little Vixen for the 100th anniversary in October and November, and we’ve got a couple more projects lined up in the next few years. I think I can speak for both of us when I say that we enjoy working together, and we try to find opportunities when they come up."
I believe your upcoming concert is in Smetana's The Secret at the National Theatre's Opera House. It's directed by Ondřej Havelka. And together you will also perform swing songs from your joint album. What else do you have on the programme for the upcoming months or weeks?
"Yes, Smetana’s The Secret is a really nice production. If the audience is familiar with Jára Cimrman, it’s that kind of direction—traditional with a twist. We’re essentially presenting the actual premiere of the opera, showing what’s happening behind the scenes. It’s funny, at least to me—I hope the audience finds it funny too.
"Working with Ondřej is great. He’s very particular, even pedantic, but in the best sense—he knows what he wants and he gets results. It was our first production together, even though we’ve known each other for at least 15 years.
"He’s worked with my wife a lot, but we could never find the right project until now. This one was in the works for about 10 years, and I’m really glad it finally happened. If all goes according to plan, we’ll do another production together in a season or two.
"After that, I have a recital in Kostelec nad Jizerou and then another one at Blatná Castle. Then I go to Znojmo for a production of Giulio Cesare, which they’re now staging in Ostrava and we’ll take it to the festival.
"Then I’m off for almost a month. We’ll go visit my wife, who has just left for Glyndebourne in Sussex a few days ago. She’s doing a production of Káťa Kabanová there, and we’ll join her for about a month.
"Then I’ll lead a masterclass in Kroměříž at Tomáš Netopil’s Academy, and right after that I fly to New York to start rehearsals for Don Giovanni."
Finally, after 10 years at the Met and many other stages—are there still roles you haven't sung yet that you would really love to take on?
"There are tons of roles I haven’t sung yet. Right now, I’m in what you might call a transitional period. I like to think of it more as expanding my repertoire than changing it, but I’m slowly moving into heavier roles.
"There are quite a few I hope will come my way at some point. We’ll see when and where—that always depends on the right opportunities and enough rehearsal time for roles that are big and more complex."
