About the Author

A leading expert on Czech vocal music, Timothy Cheek is pianist, vocal coach, and associate professor of performing arts at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theater & Dance in Ann Arbor. He is the author of Singing in Czech: A Guide to Czech Lyric Diction and Vocal Repertoire (2001) and The Janácek Opera Libretti, volumes I (2003) and II (2004), and The Bartered Bride / Prodana nevesta: Performance Guide with Translations and Pronunciation (2010), all published by Scarecrow Press.
 

Reviews

For those unfamiliar with Dvorák's opera, this performance guide is an excellent introduction to the work; those already having been seduced by the song of the water nymph will welcome Cheek's research and insight into the opera. This volume is highly recommended.
*Journal of Singing*

Timothy Cheek’s Rusalka is an extraordinary book, highlighted by its extremely ordered details, allowing for instant readability and quick use for studying the Czech language as well as the dramatic and musical interpretation of this incredible work. Who will not be inspired to delve into this fairy tale opera after they have finally been furnished with the tools necessary to do so?
*Mark S. Doss*

Timothy Cheek's guide to Rusalka is the gold standard for those studying, performing or just plain interested in this wonderful opera. It is a thoroughly knowledgeable, yet accessible, reference work with the latest phonetic transcription and pronunciation guide, and both literal (word-for-word) and idiomatic translations of the text. His detailed explanation of scenic and interpretative notations, performance practices, idioms and a "quick review sheet of Americanisms" to avoid make this the Bible for preparation of the score. Where was this book when I was preparing to sing this at the Met?!
*Stephen West, University of Michigan, Metropolitan Opera*

Dr. Cheek’s profoundly detailed musical scholarship is a true gold mine for anyone wanting to experience Dvorak’s masterpiece, Rusalka. His beautiful introductions to every element of the opera offer rich and balanced perspectives on this important work that will fully inform a wide range of readers. This is the book for you, whether you are a casual opera lover interested in savoring the tantalizing details of this beautiful story or seeking detailed information about available recordings complete with cast listings and nuances of performance, or if you are an enterprising vocalist challenged with mastering the intricacies of singing the rich Czech language. Cheek’s enlightened commentary illuminates every important production aspect of this glorious opera that is also of special interest to conductors, stage directors, and producers engaged in the detailed task of bringing it to life on the stage. One could have no better guide to the appreciation and enjoyment of Rusalka than Timothy Cheek’s musicological “bible” to this operatic treasure.
*Robert Lyall, General and Artistic Director of New Orleans Opera and Artistic Director of Opera Grand Rapids*