Ella Tvrdková

Ella Tvrdková (19 February 1878 – 8 November 1918), also written as Ella Tordek, was a Czech opera singer.

Early life
Alžběta Anna Tvrdková was born in Kamenice nad Lipou, the daughter of Václav Tvrdek. She studied voice with Mathilde Mallinger at the Prague Conservatory, with further studies in Berlin.

Career
Tvrdková was with the Prague National Theatre from 1899 to 1901. In 1901, she sang a small part in the premiere of Dvořák's Rusalka. From 1901 to 1913, she sang under the name "Ella Tordek" with the Munich Court Opera, and a regular performer at Munich's Wagner and Mozart festivals. In 1913, she created the role of Rosaura in the original cast of Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari's opera Le donne curiose, in Milan.

Tordek made recordings, including a duet with Luise Hofer, singing Berlioz's "Nuit paisible et sereine", from Béatrice et Bénédict, and a duet with Friedrich Brodersen, singing Mozart's "Reich mir die Hand", from Don Giovanni.

Personal life
Ella Tvrdková married Gustav Gerhäuser in 1909. She died in 1918, aged 40, in Krumbach, Bavaria.