Richard Samek was born in Třebíč, Czech Republic. He is a graduate of Janáček’s Academy of Arts (JAMU) in Brno, where he studied classical voice in Professor Anna Barová’s studio.
After graduation he studied privately with Ms. Natálie Romanová and had a successful debut as Faust in Boito’s Mefistofele in the National Theater in Brno. There he also sang Pierre Bezuchov in Prokofiev’s War and Peace and Junoš in Smetana’s Brandenburgers in Bohemia as well as the tenor solo in a semi-staged rendition of Mozart’s Requiem.
He is currently a member of the Prague State Opera (Státní Opera Praha), company with which he appeared in Bernstein’s Candide, Puccini’s Turandot, Verdi’s Nabucco, Puccini’s Manon Lescaut, Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor and Dvořák’s Rusalka.
In addition, since 2007, he has been employed by the J.K. Tyl Theater in Plzeň where he appears as the Prince (Dvořák’s Rusalka), Cassio (Verdi’s Othello), Ismaele (Verdi’s Nabucco), Gonzalve (Ravel’s Spanish Hour), Raymond (Tchaikovsky’s The Maid of Orleans) Štéva (Janáček´s Jenufa) and Narraboth (Strauss’s Salome). In June of 2009 he debuted in the role of Rodolfo in Puccini’s La Boheme and is currently preparing the roles of Jeník (Smetana’s Bartered Bride) and Tamino (Mozart’s Magic Flute.)
Since 2004, he is a regular guest in the National Theater in Brno (Národní divadlo Brno), the South-Bohemian Theater (Jihočeské divadlo) in České Budějovice, and since 2008, in The Czech National Theater (Národní divadlo) in Prague.
Richard Samek received a number of awards in international competitions: 3rd place in the opera division, 2nd place in the song division as well as the Talent of the Year award at the International Voice Competition of A. Dvořák (Mezinarodní pěvecká soutěž A. Dvořáka) in Karlovy Vary; also 3rd place along with the Award for Potential (Cena pro nadějného zpěváka) in the M. S. Trnavský Competition (pěvecká soutěź M.S. Trnavského).
Samek has performed in concerts across Europe and in Canada and Japan where he collaborated with prestigious chamber and symphony orchestras.