▁highly ▁successful ▁in ▁the ▁Czech ▁re pert ory , ▁and ▁lear nt ▁a ▁large ▁number ▁of ▁contemporary ▁roles . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁he ▁performed ▁in ▁the ▁world ▁premi ere ▁of ▁Fr anti š ek ▁Š kr oup ' s ▁Columb us ▁( com posed ▁ 1 8 5 5 ). ▁ ▁Ot ava ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁highly ▁respect ed ▁voice ▁teacher . ▁He ▁taught ▁at ▁the ▁Prag ue ▁Conserv atory ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 1 – 1 9 4 2 ▁and ▁again ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 . ▁He ▁was ▁on ▁the ▁fac ulty ▁at ▁the ▁Academy ▁of ▁Perform ing ▁Arts ▁in ▁Prag ue ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 2 – 1 9 7 3 . ▁Among ▁his ▁notable ▁pup ils ▁were ▁V ác lav ▁Z í tek ▁and ▁Nad ě ž da ▁Kn ip lov á . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁he ▁was ▁made ▁a ▁People ' s ▁Art ist ▁of ▁the ▁USS R . ▁After ▁ret iring ▁from ▁the ▁stage ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁he ▁lived ▁in ▁ret irement ▁in ▁Prag ue ▁where ▁he ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 7 8 . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Category : 1 9 0 2 ▁birth s ▁Category : 1 9 8 0 ▁death s ▁Category : C zech ▁opera ▁sing ers ▁Category : Oper atic ▁bar it ones ▁Category : 2 0 th - century ▁opera ▁sing ers ▁Category : C zech ▁bar it ones ▁Category : 2