Yveta Synek Graff

Yveta Synek Graff (November 18, 1933, Prague, Czechoslovakia — November 6, 2015, Montecito, California) was a Czech-born American vocal and language coach and writer who helped popularize the performances of Czech operas internationally during the last quarter of the 20th century and early 21st century. Considered one of the world's leading authorities on Czech operas, she was described by The New York Times as the "secret weapon of Czech opera’s velvet revolution".

She was widely admired for her translations of Czech operas into English which were utilized in performances by companies like the Metropolitan Opera and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. She also coached artists for performances in Czech; including working on productions for the Glyndebourne Festival Opera, the Los Angeles Opera, the New York City Opera, the San Francisco Opera, and The Royal Opera in London among others.

Life and career The daughter of writer Emil Synek and actress Emilie Budlová, Yveta Synek was born in Prague on November 18, 1933.

With Robert T. Jones, Graff co-wrote an English-language translation of Leoš Janáček's The Cunning Little Vixen which was used by the New York City Opera (NYCO) for its 1981 production of that work with Gianna Rolandi in the title role. She and Jones collaborated on the English translation of a second opera by Janáček, From the House of the Dead, for that opera's first complete performance in America which was given in a concert version by the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall in 1983. This translation was later re-used for a fully staged production of the opera given by the NYCO in 1990. The Metropolitan Opera also used this translation for its production in its 1985-1986 season with Roberta Alexander in the title role. In 1986 she assisted the San Francisco Opera (SFO) for its production of Jenůfa performed in the original Czech; writing English-language supertitles for its production. This was the second time she had worked for the SFO on that opera; having previously prepared its singers in this work when the opera was given in 1980. That same year she prepared the Los Angeles Opera's chorus and principal cast in the Czech language for the company's production of Káťa Kabanová.

Graff died in Montecito, California on November 6, 2015.