▁father ▁and ▁attended ▁the ▁College ▁of ▁Education ▁in ▁Br no , ▁at ▁which ▁time ▁he ▁purs ued ▁further ▁music ▁studies ▁priv ately ▁with ▁Jan á č ek . ▁After ▁singing ▁less ons ▁with ▁Boh um il ▁Ben oni ▁in ▁Prag ue , ▁he ▁studied ▁opera ▁further ▁in ▁Rome ▁with ▁Ric c ardo ▁St rac ci ari ▁and ▁then ▁in ▁Milan ▁and ▁Vienna . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 5 ▁he ▁made ▁his ▁professional ▁opera ▁début ▁at ▁the ▁Slov ak ▁National ▁Theatre ▁in ▁Br atis lava ▁as ▁I ago ▁in ▁Ot ello . ▁A ▁year ▁later ▁was ▁engaged ▁by ▁the ▁Mah en ▁Theatre ▁in ▁Br no ▁with ▁which ▁he ▁sang ▁Baron ▁Pr us ▁in ▁the ▁première ▁of ▁Jan á č ek ’ s ▁The ▁Mak rop ulos ▁Aff air ▁and ▁the ▁title ▁role ▁in ▁Ernst ▁K ren ek ’ s ▁Jon ny ▁sp ielt ▁auf . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 2 9 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁Ot ava ▁worked ▁at ▁the ▁Prag ue ▁National ▁Theatre , ▁singing ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 6 0 ▁roles ; ▁he ▁also ▁tou red ▁widely ▁abroad . ▁With ▁his ▁striking ▁stage ▁presence , ▁he ▁excel led ▁in ▁port ray als ▁of ▁Germ ont ▁in ▁La ▁tra vi ata , ▁P izar ro ▁in ▁F idel io , ▁Sc arp ia ▁in ▁T os ca , ▁Tel ram und ▁in ▁L ohen gr in , ▁and ▁the ▁title ▁hero es ▁in ▁The ▁Mar riage ▁of ▁Fig aro ▁and ▁Eug ene ▁On egin . ▁He ▁also ▁was