Soňa Červená

The new exhibition at the Czech Museum of Music celebrates one of the most significant figures of Czech and world music: opera singer Soňa Červená, on the occasion of her 100th birthday.

This exhibition project offers a unique insight into the life and work of an artist whose extraordinary voice color, wide vocal range, and unmistakable charisma have influenced the art of singing worldwide.

Visitors can look forward to a rich collection of over 200 exhibits from the collections of the National Museum – Czech Museum of Music and the Soňa Červená Foundation. The exhibition features personal belongings, stage costumes by top designers, archival photographs, audio and video recordings, as well as unique documents from her personal and professional life. It showcases not only the famous operatic roles Soňa Červená performed on prestigious stages from Bayreuth and Milan’s La Scala to opera houses across five continents, but also her early acting beginnings in Czechoslovakia, her period of emigration, and her return to her homeland after 1989.

Through thematically arranged halls, the exhibition presents not only her artistic legacy but also the personal history of the artist, including the family heritage of Václav František Červený, a renowned maker of brass musical instruments. The exhibition traces her journey from youth, through the difficult times of communist persecution and emigration, to her peak successes on world stages and her later creative experiments that brought new artistic forms in drama, melodrama, and experimental theater.

The Soňa Červená exhibition is not only a tribute to one of the most remarkable divas and personalities of Czech culture but also an inspiring testament to the power of human talent, courage, and dignity.

Come and explore the story of a woman who dazzled audiences in over 5,500 performances across 75 seasons, and immerse yourself in her extraordinary life and artistic journey.