The Bartered Bride he had written "The Brandenburgers in Bohemia" to a libretto by the Czech nationalist poet Karel Sabina, whom Smetana had met briefly in 1848. "The Brandenburgers", which was awarded the opera prize, was a serious historical drama, but even before its completion Smetana was noting down themes for use in a future comic opera. By this time he had heard the music of Cornelius's "Der Barbier", and was ready to try his own hand at the comic genre. For his libretto, Smetana again approached Sabina, who by 5 July 1863 had produced an untitled one-act sketch in German. Over the
Matus Tomko Dvorak International Vocal Competition in opera singing in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic. As a principal soloist at the State Theatre in Kosice he has sung many roles of the world repertoire (Brander in Faust, Mícha – in the Bartered Bride, Samuel Ribbing in Un Ballo in Maschera by G. Verdi, Marchese d'Obigny in La Traviata by G. Verdi, Masetto in Don Giovanni by W. A. Mozart, captain Zuniga in Carmen by G. Bizet, etc.). In 2009, he performed the role of Jan (John) in the worldwide premiere of the original Slovak opera - Šavol (Saul) of which the music was