Emília Vášáryová, Doctor Artis Dramaticae (hon.) (Slovak pronunciation: [ˈemiːlija ˈʋaːʂarijɔʋa]; born 18 May 1942)[2] is a Slovak stage and screen actress, whom Variety and other publications refer to as the "First Lady of Slovak Theater".[3][4][5] During a career of more than five decades, she has received numerous awards including Meritorious Artist (1978),[6] the Alfréd Radok Award (1996),[7] the Czech Lion Award,[8] the Golden Goblet Award (2008),[9] and a 2010 ELSA award from the Czech Film and Television Academy (2010).[10] Because her younger sister is former diplomat Magdaléna Vášáryová,[11] the daily newspaper iDNES said fans consider her an "Honorary Consul of Czech and Slovak Relations".[12]

Emília Vášáryová
Born (1942-05-18) 18 May 1942 (age 82)
Other names
  • Milka Vášáryová
  • Emília Vášáryová-Horská[1]
  • Emília Čorbová (per marriage)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • professor
Years active1958–present
Employers
Organization(s)VŠMU, Bratislava
Spouses
Ivan Horský
(m. 1968; div. 1976)
Milan Čorba
(m. 1977; w. 2013)
Children2
Relatives
WebsiteSlovak National Theater
Signature
Emília Vášáryová's signature

Biography

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Early years

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Vášáryová at the 2011 Bratislavský bál, honored with the Bratislavian Blueberry Award

Vášáryová was born in Horná Štubňa, the First Slovak Republic. However, and along with younger sister Magdaléna (who also became a popular actor), she was raised in Banská Štiavnica, where both their parents taught. Her father, Jozef Vášáry was a member of a Hungarian noble family. He taught Slovak literature and grammar at a gymnasium. Her mother, Hermína, taught German.[13]

As a child and young woman, Vášáryová participated in amateur theater and gymnastics. While at JSŠ high school in Štiavnica, she received a cameo role in the Slovak/Hungarian film St. Peter's Umbrella. She had an uncredited role as a servant girl with only one line, "I'm coming, I'm coming!".[14]

1960s

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She hoped to study languages or art history at university, but she lacked the so-called "confidential files" (issued by Communist Party of Czechoslovakia). Eventually she was able to enroll at the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava to study theater.[15]

During college she had supporting roles in two black-and-white films, Marching Is Not Always Fun (1960), and Midnight Mass (1962). The film Young Ages (1962) also marked her television debut. Her big break came when she was cast in the lead (as "Diana") in Vojtěch Jasný's The Cassandra Cat, in which a magic cat reveals the true nature of everyone he sees. It premiered at the 1963 Cannes Film Festival, taking two major awards, the C.S.T. Prize and Special Jury prize. The film also won awards at various international festivals in Spain, Greece, Colombia, and Italy.[16]

In December 1963, A Face at the Window (directed by Peter Solan) opened with her cast alongside leads Ladislav Chudík and Štefan Kvietik, both of whom had a significant impact on her career. The following year Chudík invited her to join the ensemble of the Slovak National Theatre, over the objections of some of the senior actors who thought she was too young and inexperienced for such a prominent national stage. She did bring some experience to this opportunity, however, because she had previously spent one season at the Bratislava main stage New Scene. Thanks to the influence of Magda Husáková-Lokvencová, wife of Czech President Gustáv Husák, she appeared in four productions.[17]

Her debut rule at the national playhouse was as Ophelia in Hamlet.[18] In 1967 she received the Janko Borodáč award on the basis of two roles, Helena in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Florelle in Lope de Vega's comedy The Dancing Master.

I didn't want to be an actress, and so I'd cry out whole days – that's what Magda [sister] says at least. I don't much recall it yet.

Emília Vášáryová[17]

She also became more prominent in feature films, including A Jester's Tale, which drew international attention when it brought director Karel Zeman two awards at the San Francisco IFF '64 (for Best Film and Best Direction), and also first prize at Addis Ababa IFF '64 in Ethiopia.[19]

Her other feature films include St. Elizabeth Square (1965),[20] Master Executioner (1966),[21] Trailer People (1966),[22] The Dragon's Return (1967)[23] and There's No Other Way (1968).[24] During this period, Vášáryová also launched her television career, receiving Most Popular Actress in Brno in 1967, and winning the first edition of the national TV contest Golden Croc in 1968.[X][25]

1970s

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Along with acting onstage (in Herodes and Herodias by Pavol Országh Hviezdoslav, Gorky's Vassa Zheleznova and The Last Ones, Palárik's Thanksgiving Adventure, the Sophocles play Antigone and Leo Tolstoy and Erwin Piscator's War and Peace, Vášáryová continued her television career, with roles in The Balade for the Seven Hanged (1968), Parisian Mohicans (1971), Noodledom (1971), The Shepherd Wife (1972), Monna Vanna (1973), and Impatient Heart (1974; in which her sister Magda co-starred). She was cast in several films, including Copper Tower, directed by Martin Hollý Jr. (who had collaborated with Vášáryová in The Balade for the Seven Hanged), which earned a Special Prize at the 21st Film Festival of Proletariats (FFP) in 1970. Martin Ťapák's The Day Which Does Not Die received various domestic awards for best director and best lead male actor for Štefan Kvietik).[26]

The second half of the 70s was a successful period, and she performed strong roles in both film and theater. She played "Zuza" in Who Leaves in the Rain (directed by Martin Hollý Jr), and she received in Prague ZČDU Award for Best Actress at the 13th Festival of Czechoslovak Film (FČSF) in 1975.

Red Wine by Andrej Lettrich, who received the State Prize of Klement Gottwald for his direction, brought her much popularity on screen, and also on television where the drama was presented as a two-episode TV series. Another Lettrich film, The Lawyer, won the Best Film award at the 16th Festival of Czechoslovak Film (FČSF) in České Budějovice in 1978, and brought Vášáryová her second ZČDU Award at the 21st Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, where she also received the ÚV SZŽ Gold Plaque. She was also awarded the honorary title of Meritorious Artist.

1980s

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Fame? Never. Neither at the times of much success, I would glorify my work. And that's why I don't want to watch my movies.

Emília Vášáryová[5]

The 1980s were not significant years for major films, and her film career stalled when she reached her forties. However, she did appear in more than 30 television movies. The only two big-screen films she co-starred in were the fairy tale Plavčík and Vratko (1981), directed by Martin Ťapák as their third collaboration (their earlier films featured Journey to San Jago and the Day Which Does Not Die), an adaptation of a short story by Peter Solan, 1984's About Fame and Grass. The Costume designer for both productions became Vášáryová's second husband, Milan Čorba.

Because of this lull in film opportunities, she focused more on her stage career. She played the lead role in Goethe's Iphigenia in Tauris. At the end of the decade, Vášáryová lectured on theater topics at the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava. Barbora Bobuľová was one of her students, and she later launched an international career with much recognition, including earning the David di Donatello and Nastro d'Argento awards.[17]

1990s

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The Ministry of Culture gave her a lifetime achievement award in 1991. Then Vášáryová launched the fourth decade of her career, concentrating again mostly on TV roles. She did at least sixteen major film roles on television in the 'nineties, including the lead female role opposite Martin Huba) in Marguerite Duras's play La Musica, for which she won a 1992 Telemuse Award for Best TV Actress.[27] It had now been almost eight years since her last appearance on the big screen, but she returned to major films, playing the part of "Silvia" in Red Gypsy (1992), directed by Branislav Mišík. Her role in Hazard (1995) was cast by Roman Petrenko (Czech director, not to be confused with the Russian media executive) making his directing debut. She co-starred in this film based on a true story with Marek Vašut.[28] Tomáš Krnáč cast Vášáryová in his short film, The Higher Power (1996), playing the role of a diva diagnosed with a serious illness.[29] In theater, she earned acclaim for her performance as "the Younger Sister" in the Thomas Bernhard play Ritter, Dene, Voss, presented at the Divadlo na Zábradlí Theatre in Prague in 1996. It earned the Best Play of 1996 award.[30][31]

 
Vášáryová at the 2009 Czech Lion Awards

By the second half of the 'nineties Vášáryová was in her fifties, and successfully revived her legendary screen career. She began to engage more challenging roles. Following The Cage, she left television for almost a decade. She appeared in Martin Šulík's Orbis Pictus, and it was lauded at the International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg.[32] Vášáryová played the role of mother. She starred in Eva Borušovičová's official debut Blue Heaven (1997), a film that was nominated at several festivals, including at the 32nd Karlovy Vary IFF, and at the independent Cinequest Film Festival held annually in San Jose, California.[33][34] Return to Paradise Lost by Vojtěch Jasný was a Montréal WFF nominee. Her next picture, Cosy Dens (1999), was a comedy directed by Jan Hřebejk.[35] Vášáryová became that young director's muse and canvas, starring for him throughout in the 2000s. In her stage work, she played the role of Agnes in the Edward Albee play, A Delicate Balance, and she received the Crystal Wing in 1999 as Best Artist in Theater/Film.

2000s

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A good role is a challenge, responsibility and duty not to betray a good author and reward him for this opportunity by work which exhausts [the] actor's abilities. Also trying to be an adequate partner, to serve the work of art which has proven its qualities.

Emília Vášáryová[36]

In the year 2000, for her 1999 role as the Old Woman in Ionesco's absurdist tragedy The Chairs, she received the Dosky Award, the Jozef Kroner Award. She also received the Literature Fund award. In 2001, Vášáryová won recognition from a national pool of Czech journalists who rated her as the "Actress of the Century".[37][38] She acted in over ten stage roles during this period, performing as Maria Callas in Terrence McNally's Master Class,[39] for which she received both the DOSKY and LitFond Awards in 2002. In 2009 she played the main role in Mother Courage and Her Children by Berthold Brecht and Paul Dessau, and in 2011 she was cast as Violet Weston in Tracy Letts' August: Lost in Oklahoma.[40][41] For the role of Stevie Gray in Edward Albee's The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? she received yet another DOSKY award in 2004.[42] She also appeared in other local theatres, such as L&S Studio (Three Versions of Life in 2003,[43] or Kingfisher in 2009)[44] and GUnaGU Theater (Turn-away Side of the Moon in 2015).[45] She also starred in stage productions in Prague, mostly working for the Studio DVA theater.[46]

Her television work in the 2000s include a soap opera The Consulting Room at Pink Garden (2007), the series The Old Town's Crime Stories (2010), and a Czech TV movie, Picnic, directed by Hynek Bočan (2014).

Notes

  • ^X The original show ran until 1989. A similar production, 'Television Bells', had been running in Czechoslovakia since 1985. In 1990 the Golden Croc was replaced by the "I Like" award. Beginning in 1991 the TýTý Awards were given in the Czech Republic, whereas Slovakia founded the OTO Awards in 2000.

Filmography

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Awards

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Year Award Category Nominated work(s) Result
Cinema
1975 ZČDU Award
  • Best Actress
Who Leaves in the Rain... Won
1978 The Lawyer Won
ÚV SZŽ Gold Plaque Won
2004 Czech Lion Up and Down Won
2005 Cinema Award Won
SFZ Award Won
ÚSTT Award Won
LitFond Award Yes
2008 Golden Goblet Václav Won
Czech Lion
  • Best Supporting Actress
Nasty NominatedA
2014–2015 Sun in Net Award
  • Best Actress
Eva Nová Won
Television
1968 Golden Croc
  • Most Popular Actress
various TV performances Won
1992 Telemuse
  • Best Actress
La Musica (by M.Duras) / Mother of Jesus Won
1995 The Broken Hearts Won
1999 Golden Loop Guarding Tess Won
2001 Igric Award
  • Best Actress
The Cage Won[47]
OTO Award various TV performances NominatedB
2002 NominatedC
2003 NominatedD
2004 NominatedE
2005 NominatedE
2009 NominatedF
ELSA Award
  • Best Actress
The Archive Won
2010 OTO Award various TV performances Won
2011 Nominated
Stage
1967 Janko Borodáč Award
  • Best Actress
The Dancing Master (by Lope de Vega)
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Won
1983 Andrej Bagar Award Iphigenia in Tauris Won[47]
1996 Alfréd Radok Award Ritter, Dene, Voss Won
LitFond Award
  • Theater Act
The Cherry Orchard Won[47]
1998 Crystal Wing
  • Best Act – Theater/Film
A Delicate Balance Won
2000 DOSKY Award
  • Best Actress
The Chairs Won
Jozef Kroner Award Won
LitFond Award Won[47]
2002 Master Class Won[47]
DOSKY Award Won
2003 Tatra Banka Award
  • Best Performance
Un­known Won
2004 DOSKY Award
  • Best Actress
The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? Won
2006 Kobanadi Award Joseph and Marie (by Peter Turrini) Won
To Najlepšie z Humoru Festival
  • Audience Choice
The Last Cigar (by B.Ahlfors) Won

Notes

Lifetime honors and other achievements
Year Award/Category Nominated work Result
1970 For Outstanding Work Herself Honored
1978 Meritorious Artist Honored
1991 Slovak Ministry of Culture Prize Honored
2001 Actress of the Century (by the Slovak Journalists Syndicate) Honored
Actor's Mission Award Honored
2002 Order of Ľudovít Štúr 1st Class (State decoration) Honored
2003 Karel Čapek Award 2002 Honored
Václav Havel PrizeThe Medal of Merit Honored
2005 Pavol Strauss Award (by UKF Nitra) Honored
2007 LitFond Award Honored
2008 OTO AwardHall of Fame Honored
2009 Artis Bohemiae Amicis (by Czech Ministry of Culture) Honored
2010 Doctor Artis Dramaticae Honoris Causa (by JAMU) Honored
2012 Bratislavian Blueberry (by Honorary Council of J.Satinský)[50] Honored
2016 The Film Walk of Fame (by IFF Bratislava)[51] Honored

References

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General

  • "Emília Vášáryová – Biography -> Stageography -> Awards". Slovak National Theater (in Slovak). Slovenské národné divadlo. snd.sk. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  • Renáta Šmatláková (ed.). "Emília Vášáryová – Cinematography -> Awards". Slovak Film Database. Slovak Film Institute. sfd.sfu.sk. Archived from the original on 27 June 2013. Retrieved 31 March 2011. (in Slovak and English)
  • "Emília Vášáryová – Filmography". Czech-Slovak Film Database. POMO Media Group. csfd.cz. Retrieved 31 March 2011. (in Czech and Slovak)

Specific

  1. ^ Kaplan, Mike (1981). Variety: International Showbusiness Reference. Garland Publishing. pp. 321, 22nd ed. ISBN 9780824093419. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
  2. ^ Strhan, Milan; Daniel, David P. (1994). Slovakia And The Slovaks: A Concise Encyclopedia. Encyclopedical Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences. p. 681. ISBN 9788085584110. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
  3. ^ Simon, Alissa (20 September 2015). "Toronto Film Review: 'Eva Nova'". Variety.
  4. ^ "Emília Vášáryová – The First Lady of Slovak Theater". SME (in Slovak). Petit Press. 16 May 2008. kultura.sme.sk. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
  5. ^ a b Uhrinová, Mária (2 July 2004). "The First Lady of Slovak Acting–Emilia Vašáryová". ŽENA-IN (in Czech). Redakce Žena-in.cz. zena-in.cz. Archived from the original on 31 March 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
  6. ^ "Personalities – Emília Vášáryová". Občianske združenie Osobnosti (in Slovak). OZO. osobnosti.sk. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
  7. ^ "Alfréd Radok Award – Winners 1996". Aura-Pont (in Czech). inCMS. cenyradoka.cz. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
  8. ^ the Czech Lion Award for Best Actress (2004),Hapčo, Peter (21 October 2008). "What I Can't Have In Life, I Don't Miss". MY Žilinské noviny (in Slovak). Petit Press. zilina.sk. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
  9. ^ "Golden Goblet Award – Winners 2008". SIFF. Shanghai International Film Festival. Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2011. (in Chinese and English)
  10. ^ "ELSA – Winners 2010". Czech Television (in Czech). Czech Film Television Academy. 20 December 2010. ceskatelevize.cz. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
  11. ^ Churaň, Milan (1998). Who Was Who In Our History In The 20th Century (in Czech). Libri Publishing. pp. 482, 2nd ed. ISBN 9788085983647. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
  12. ^ Kočičková, Kateřina (1 April 2006). "Vášáryová se nestylizuje do zvláštních osudů". Mladá fronta DNES (in Czech). MAFRA. kultura.idnes.cz. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  13. ^ Mikovíny, Samuel. "Magda Vášáryová". The City of Banská Štiavnica (in Slovak). Mesto Banská Štiavnica. banskastiavnica.sk. Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
  14. ^ Svoboda, Otakar (5 April 2006). "Culture ČT24 interview with Vášáryová". ČT24 (in Czech). Czech Television. ceskatelevize.cz. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  15. ^ "Emília Vášáryová – Biography". Filmovízia (in Slovak). Šablóna Awesome. filmovizia.com. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
  16. ^ "The Cassandra Cat – Distribution Sheet" (PDF). National Film Archive in Prague (in Czech). Národní filmový archiv v Praze. nfa.cz. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
  17. ^ a b c Čorná, Tina (18 December 2008). "Life Is Too Hard To Remember It As Such Romantic". Týždenník Žurnál (in Slovak). TV Tip. izurnal.sk. Archived from the original on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
  18. ^ Donovalová, Katarína (2009). "Emília Vášáryová – Actress, Teacher, Meritorious Artist" (PDF). Peter Klinec (in Slovak). Banská Bystrica: Mikuláš Kováč's Public Library. vkmk.sk. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 May 2010. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
  19. ^ "The Jester's Tale – Distribution Sheet" (PDF). National Film Archive in Prague (in Czech). Národní filmový archiv v Praze. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
  20. ^ "Namestie Svätej Alžbety". Czech and Slovak Film Database (in Czech). Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  21. ^ "Majster Kat". Czech and Slovak Film Database (in Czech). Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  22. ^ "Lidé z maringotek". Czech and Slovak Film Database (in Czech). Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  23. ^ "Drak se vrací". Czech and Slovak Film Database (in Czech). Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  24. ^ "Niet inej cesty". Czech and Slovak Film Database (in Czech). Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  25. ^ "Profil Emílie Vášáryovej". Slovak National Theatre (in Slovak). Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  26. ^ "Profil Emílie Vášáryovej". Slovak National Theatre (in Slovak). Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  27. ^ "La musica". Czech and Slovak Film Database (in Czech). Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  28. ^ "Hazard". Czech and Slovak Film Database (in Czech). Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  29. ^ "Vyššia moc". Czech and Slovak Film Database (in Czech). Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  30. ^ "Divadlo Na Zábradlí-Archiv inscenací". webová prezentace Divadla Na Zábradlí. Divadlo Na Zábradlí. Archived from the original on 16 April 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  31. ^ "Ceny Alfréda Radoka 1996". Ceny Alfréda Radoka 1996. Aura-Pont s.r.o. 2005–2010. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  32. ^ "Orbis Pictus (Awards)". Internet Movie Database. IMDb. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
  33. ^ "Slovak Film Database-> Blue Heaven-> Awards". Slovak Film Database (in Slovak). SFD. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
  34. ^ "Blue Heaven -> Awards". Internet Movie Database. IMDb. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
  35. ^ "Cosy Dens -> Awards". Internet Movie Database. IMDb. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
  36. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  37. ^ Čahojová, Adriána. "Emília Vášáryová Interview – I Have My Wimps". TV Tip (in Czech). Mojcasopis.sk. soubiz.sk. Archived from the original on 26 March 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2011. 8.I.2010 udělen čestný doktorát JAMU významné slovenské herečce a profesorce herectví Emílii Vášáryové
  38. ^ "Emília Vášáryová – The Slovak Actress of the Century". Total HelpArt. THA. p. 23. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  39. ^ "Majstrovská lekcia Marie Callas". Slovak National Theatre.
  40. ^ "Matka Guráž a jej deti". Slovak National Theater. Archived from the original on 16 April 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  41. ^ "August: Stratení v Oklahome". Slovak National Theater. Archived from the original on 14 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  42. ^ "Koza aneb kto je Sylvia?". Divadlo Aréna. Archived from the original on 16 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  43. ^ "Život na trikrát". Štúdio L+S. Archived from the original on 26 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  44. ^ "Rybárik kráľovský". Štúdio L+S. Archived from the original on 26 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  45. ^ "Odvrátená strana mesiaca". Divadlo GUnaGU.
  46. ^ "Studio DVA – Repertoár-hosté". Studio DVA. Archived from the original on 9 March 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  47. ^ a b c d e "50 Years of LitFond – 1954–2004" (PDF). Slovak Literature Fond (in Slovak). SLF. pp. 233, 250, 255, 258, 288. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
  48. ^ "Czech Lion 2008 -> Results". Czech Film and Television Academy (in Czech). Vachler Art Company. kinobox.cz. Archived from the original on 2 November 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
  49. ^ a b c d e "Television Screen Personality (OTO – Osobnosť televíznej obrazovky) -> Emília Vášáryová Awards". Art Production Agency (in Slovak). Ringier Axel Springer Slovakia. anketaoto.sk. Archived from the original on 26 March 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
  50. ^ "Mesto a jeho správa > Bratislavská čučoriedka > Kategória Osobnosť". Hlavné mesto SR Bratislava (in Slovak). BKIS. bratislava.sk. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  51. ^ "Emília Vášáryová na chodníku slávy v Bratislave". IFF Bratislava (in Slovak). Kinema.sk. kinema.sk. Retrieved 17 April 2015.

Further reading

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