Josepha Chekova

The daughter of Czech immigrants to the United States,{{cite book|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=34KQDQAAQBAJ&dq=Josepha+Chekova&pg=PT642|title=Encyclopedia of Bohemian and Czech-American Biography, Volume I|author=Mila Rechcigl|year=2016|publisher=AuthorHouse|chapter=Josepha Chekova}} Josepha Chekova was born on 26 May 1900 in New York City.Josepha Domansky

in the U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014

She was performing in vaudeville as early as May 1925 at Keith's Theatre in Syracuse, New York.{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_billboard_1925-05-30_37_22/page/12/mode/1up?q=%22Josepha+Chekova%22|title=Critic Picks the 12 Best Acts of Season|magazine=Billboard|date= May 30, 1925|page=12|editor=M. H. Shapiro}} and the Strand Theatre in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/republican-and-herald-leda-orlova-and-jo/81340720/|title=Strand Theatre|work=Republican and Herald|date=May 18, 1925|page= 3}} She sang several programs of music on WRNY in 1926–1927.{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_new-york-times_1926-08-08_75_25033_2/page/n31/mode/1up?q=%22Josefa+Chekova%22|page=16|title=Radio Programs Scheduled for the Current Week|work=The New York Times|date=August 8, 1926}}{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/NYTimes-Dec1-10-1926/page/n21/mode/1up?q=%22Josepha+Chekova%22|title=Today's Radio Programs|date=December 1, 1926|work=The New York Times|page=22}}{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_new-york-times_1926-09-18_75_25074/page/n11/mode/1up?q=%22Josefa+Chekova%22|title=Today's Radio Programs|work=The New York Times|date=September 18, 1926}}{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_radio-television-news_1926-10_8_4/page/435/mode/1up?q=%22Josefa+Chekova%22|title=A Month's Features at WRNY|work=Radio News|date=October 1926|page=435-436}}{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_new-york-times_1927-01-26_76_25204/page/n11/mode/2up?q=%22Josefa+Chekova%22|title=Today's Radio Programs|work=The New York Times|page=52|date=January 26, 1927}}{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_new-york-times_1927-02-02_76_25211/page/n14/mode/1up?q=%22Josefa+Chekova%22|title=Today's Radio Programs|work=The New York Times|date=February 2, 1927}} She later was engaged by Thomas A. Edison's music company to perform a program of Czech music on WRNY in June 1928 with the Edison Orchestra.{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1928-06-02_48_7/page/34/mode/1up?q=%22Josefa+Chekova%22|title=Turn of the Dial|date=June 2, 1928|work=Musical America|page=34}}

In May 1927 Chekova performed in the variety show Oh, Teacher at the Oriental Theatre in Chicago.{{cite journal|title=Stage Shows: Chicago Oriental|journal=Exhibitors Herald|date=May 7, 1927|page=38}} The following October she won a singing competition held by the Bel Canto Studio, Inc. of New York; the prize of which was free vocal training for at least one year, and possibly as long as three years, and a trip to Italy.{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_music-magazine-and-musical-courier_1927-10-20_95_16/page/14/mode/1up?q=%22Josefa+Chekova%22|title=Bel Canto Studio Scholarship Winners|date=October 20, 1927|page=14|work=The Musical Courier}} She later studied singing with Estelle Liebling in New York City.{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1935-06_55_11/page/33/mode/1up?q=%22Josepha+Chekova%22|title=Liebling Pupils Make Many Public Appearances|work=Musical America|page=33|date=June 1935}} In 1929 she recorded the duet "Love Me Tonight" for the Victor Talking Machine Company with singer Dennis King.{{cite web|url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/mastertalent/detail/101558/Chekova_Josepha|title=Josepha Chekova|work=Discography of American Historical Recordings|publisher= University of California, Santa Barbara|access-date=July 25, 2024}}

Chekova had a minor part in the ensemble of the 1931 Broadway revival of John N. Raphael and Constance Collier's Peter Ibbetson at the Shubert Theatre.{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/bestplaysof1930300mant/page/514/mode/2up?q=%22Josepha+Chekova%22|page=541|title=The Best Plays of 1930-31 : and the Yearbook of the Drama in America|editor=Burns Mantle|publisher=Dodd, Mead & Co.|year=1931}} She made her professional opera debut with the Prague State Opera in The Bartered Bride.{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_music-magazine-and-musical-courier_1942-02-05_125_3/page/120/mode/1up?q=%22Josepha+Chekova%22|title=Josepha Chekova Translator as Singer of Opera|work=The Musical Courier|date=February 5, 1942|page=120}} In 1933 she was a leading soprano with the New York Opera Company.{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1933-10-10_53_15/page/8/mode/1up?q=%22Josefa+Chekova%22|title= New York Forces to Open Season in Easton|page=8|work=Musical America|date=October 10, 1933|volume= 53|issue= 15}}

In 1934 Chekova was engaged at Radio City Music Hall (RCMH) where she sang works by Rudolf Friml is a stage show that also featured The Rockettes.{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/variety114-1934-06/page/n200/mode/1up?q=%22Josepha+Chekova%22|title=Among the Women|author=The Skirt|page=73|work=Variety|date=June 19, 1934}} She also performed the title role in Giacomo Puccini's Madama Butterfly at the RCMH in May 1934 with Edwina Eustis as Suzuki and Alfredo Gandolfi as Sharpless.{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1934-05-25_54_10/page/34/mode/1up?q=%22Josepha+Chekova%22|title=Opera is Innovation at Radio City Music Hall|page=34|work=Musical America|date=May 25, 1934|volume=54|issue= 10}} In 1935 she performed the role of Musetta in Puccini's La bohème at the RCMH under conductor Ernö Rapée; a performance which was recorded live for a broadcast on NBC Radio.{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_music-magazine-and-musical-courier_1935-07-13_111_2/page/35/mode/1up?q=%22Josepha+Chekova%22|title=Studio Notes|page=35|date=July 13, 1935|journal=The Musical Courier}} That same year she portrayed the title role Georges Bizet's Carmen{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_music-magazine-and-musical-courier_1935-09-14_111_4/page/36/mode/1up?q=%22Josepha+Chekova%22|title=Studio Notes|work=The Musical Courier|date=September 14, 1935}} and the role of Leonora in Giuseppe Verdi's Il trovatore at the Steel Pier Theatre in Atlantic City.{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_music-magazine-and-musical-courier_1935-08-17_111_3/page/28/mode/1up?q=%22Josepha+Chekova%22|title=Studio Notes|work=The Musical Courier|date=August 17, 1935|page=28}}

Chekova was engaged with the touring San Carlo Opera Company for the 1935–1936 season in which she performed the role of Nedda in Pagliacci, Marguerite in Faust and Micaëla in Carmen.{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_music-magazine-and-musical-courier_1935-10-05_111_5/page/18/mode/2up?q=%22Josepha+Chekova%22|title=Chicago Awaits San Carlo Autumn Series|page=18|journal=The Musical Courier|date=October 5, 1935|volume= 111|issue= 5}}

In 1936 Chekova performed at Aeolian Hall in a program of music by composer Elmo Russ.{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_music-magazine-and-musical-courier_1936-01-04_112_1/page/20/mode/1up?q=%22Josefa+Chekova%22|title=Elmo Russ Song Settings Heard|page=20|journal=The Musical Courier|date=January 4, 1936|volume= 112|issue= 1}} In 1937 she starred in a production of Benjamin Godard's La Vivandière at the Robin Hood Dell in Philadelphia.{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_international-musician_1937-09_36_3/page/n5/mode/1up?q=%22Josefa+Chekova%22|title=Grand Opera|page=6|journal=The International Musician|date=September 1937|volume= 36|issue= 3}} Staged by H. Maurice Jacquet's short lived American Opera Company, the opera was also performed in Trenton, New Jersey.{{cite news |last=Chekova |first=Josepha |date=June 11, 1937 |title=Trenton Will Hear Premiere of Opera |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/479500345/ |url-access=subscription |newspaper=Evening Courier |location=Camden, NJ |volume=54 |number=10 |page=11 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |editor-last=Beck |editor-first=Henry C. |date=August 13, 1937 |title=Dell To Close Season in Park Next Week: Opera Comique, Solo Appearance of Iturbi on Final Programs |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/479526518/ |url-access=subscription |newspaper=Evening Courier |location=Camden, NJ |volume=54 |number=63 |page=9 |via=Newspapers.com}}

In 1939 Chekova portrayed Leonora in Il trovatore opposite Florence Foster Jenkins as Azucena with the Verdi Club in New York City,{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_music-magazine-and-musical-courier_1939-04-15_119_8/page/30/mode/1up?q=%22Josepha+Chekova%22|title=Verdi Club Stages Operatic Program|page=30|work=The Musical Courier|date=April 15, 1939|volume= 119|issue=8}} and returned to the RCMH as Musetta.{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_international-musician_1939-04_37_10/page/n3/mode/1up?q=%22Josepha+Chekova%22|title=Grand Opera|work=The International Musician|date=April 1939|volume= 37|issue=10}}

Chekova translated the original German language libretto to Eugene Zador's opera Christopher Columbus (1939) into English, and it is her translation of the libretto that was used when the work was given its world premiere on October 8, 1939 in a concert version of the work at the Center Theatre with Robert Weede in the title role. It was performed not only for a live radio broadcast on the NBC Blue Network program Music Hall of the Air but also in front of a sold out audience at the theatre. Her translation was later recorded by the American Symphony Orchestra under conductor Laszlo Halasz in 1975. It was released by the Cambria record label in 1997.{{cite work|url=https://archive.org/details/cd_christopher-columbus-studies-for-orchestr_eugene-zador-westfalisches-sinfonieorchest?q=%22Josefa+Chekova%22|title=Eugene Zador: Christopher Columbus, liner notes|publisher=Cambria|year=1997}} Her translation was also used with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra performed the opera in 1956.{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_music-magazine-and-musical-courier_1956-11-15_154_6/page/7/mode/1up?q=%22Josepha+Chekova%22|title=Premiere Performances|page=7|work=The Musical Courier|date=November 15, 1956|volume=154|issue=6}}

From 1940-1942 Chekova was a leading soprano with Armand Bagarozy's touring Columbia Opera Company.{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_music-magazine-and-musical-courier_1940-03-15_121_6/page/n14/mode/1up?q=%22Josepha+Chekova%22|title=Touring Opera Series|page=15|work=The Musical Courier|date=March 15, 1940|volume= 12|number= 6}}{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1941-10-25_61_16/page/18/mode/2up?q=%22Josepha+Chekova%22|title=Baltimore Hears Columbia Opera|work=Musical America|page=19|date=October 25, 1941|volume= 61|issue= 16}}{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/variety145-1942-01/page/n359/mode/1up?q=%22Josepha+Chekova%22|title=Columbia Opera in Detroit|work=Variety|date=January 28, 1942|page=36}}{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1941-04-10_61_7/page/21/mode/1up?q=%22Josepha+Chekova%22|title=Columbia Opera Group to Tour Upstate New York|page=21|work=Musical America|date=April 10, 1941|volume= 61|issue= 7}} In 1941 she portrayed Mimi in La bohème with Rochester Grand Opera Company.{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1941-12-10_61_19/page/40/mode/2up?q=%22Josepha+Chekova%22|page=41|title=Rochester Opera Offers La Boheme|journal=Musical America|date=December 10, 1941|volume=6|issue=19}} The same year she returned to the RCMH to once again perform the role of Cio-Cio-San in Madama Butterfly.{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1941-05-25_61_10/page/12/mode/1up?q=%22Josepha+Chekova%22|title= Radio City Stages Puccini's "Madama Butterfly"|journal=Musical America|date=May 25, 1941|volume= 61|issue=10}} She gave a concert tour of Czechoslovakia in 1948 and was in the nation when the 1948 Czechoslovak coup d'état occurred. She wrote about her experience during this event in the Victoria Daily Times on March 10, 1948.{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/victoriadailytimes1948-03-10/page/11/mode/1up?q=Josepha+Chekova|title=We Didn't Realize What We Were Watching When Czechoslovakia Fell|author=Josepha Chekova |work=Victoria Daily Times|date=March 10, 1948}}

In 1955 she recorded the duet "Dio Ti Giocondi" from Verdi's Otello with tenor Mario Lanza. That recording was used in the soundtrack for the 1956 film Serenade.

Josepha Chekova died at Christian Science Hospital in Boston at the age of 68 on 25 February 1968.{{cite news|work=The Courier-News|date=March 13, 1968|title=Obituaries: Josepha Domansky, 68, Soprano|page=40}} Her husband, the concert manager Vladimir Domansky, had died a month earlier on 14 January 1968.

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Category:1900 births

Category:1968 deaths

Category:American operatic sopranos

Category:Singers from New York City

Category:Vaudeville performers