ŠORALOVÁ will tour with new show based on musicals.photo: Roman Ferstl
LUCIA ŠORALOVÁ had never seen a Broadway musical before she saw Hair when it reached Slovakia in the late 1990s. And when she did, it was love at first sight. A few weeks later, while still dreaming of singing in one of the roles, she learned that auditions were being held for a production of Hair in Prague. Despite the fact that the auditions were supposed to be only for established theatrical performers, she managed to persuade the jury to give her a chance. She got the role of Jeannie and the rest is history.
Since then, the life of the 25-year-old Slovak singer has turned upside down and all around. Now it's the producers who are asking her to come and try out for roles. These days she can be found performing on alternate nights of various musicals, sharing roles with Czech stars Lucie Bílá and Bára Basiková. In the midst of all this commotion she has even managed to find the time to start a band that performs songs that she has written.
"My life is a merry-go-round," Šoralová says, explaining that there is rarely a day when she is not on stage. "But at least something is under my control - the speed at which I turn - so I don't stop enjoying life."
Šoralová has just finished a tour with her band, which consists of a drummer, a bassist, a guitarist and a pianist - all from other famous Slovak and Czech bands such as Elán, Chinaski and IMT Smile. During its recent tour the band showcased its new album Zblízka (From Nearby) with tunes that range from jazz to rock and pop. And beginning this week Šoralová starts a two-month tour with a show called An Evening of Musical Melodies.
During this show well-known Slovak singers Martin Kaprálik and Zbyňo Džadoň will join Šoralová as they perform hits from a handful of international and Slovak musicals like Dracula, Hair and Joan of Arc.
"One of the most beautiful roles I have ever played is Joan of Arc," says Šoralová. "Not only because it's the freshest one in my mind, but because it's really beautiful and offers many artistic and vocal opportunities."
Šoralová launched her singing career in the folk ensemble Lúčnica, where she received the nickname Edith after the French cabaret singer Edith Piaf. However, after she decided to follow her musical dream, she says, she has to struggle in order to establish her individuality.
"I have to fight more now to make people acknowledge me and stop comparing me with others," she says.
Lucia Šoralová with Martin Kaprálik and Zbyňo Džadoň open their Slovak tour of An Evening of Musical Melodies in the eastern town of Bardejov, in local cinema Žriedlo, November 22 at 19:00. The tour then continues in Levice (November 26), Michalovce (November 27), Spišská Nová Ves (November 28), Vranov nad Topľou (November 30), Trebišov (December 1), Bratislava (December 3).
