Lenka in Nina Mûr Frames
Actress and voice coach Lenka Barilikova welcomed us into a classroom at VŠMU in Bratislava, where she teaches voice technique at the Department of Acting.
30. October 2024, Author: Barbara Garaj, Photo: Jakub Čaprnka
In her classes, students focus on how to move through space – how to stand, sound, breathe, and perform. For Lenka, it's essential that they genuinely and authentically experience the character they're bringing to life. What she loves most about working with students is that they come to her with enthusiasm.
Outside of school, she has clients who make their living through communication but struggle with voice issues. Lenka helps them overcome stage fright when speaking in front of crowds. They work with their own voices so that emotion doesn't overwhelm them in front of a microphone and they don't end up speaking too quietly. After all, a microphone reveals every flaw.
Lenka's path to acting began in childhood, when she danced and took part in children's theatre. In high school she did recitation, but she didn't discover her passion for acting until her older sister took her to the Student Festival Akademický Prešov. That's when she told herself that if she didn't at least try, she'd regret it. Her sister supported her through auditions in Bratislava, where they called their parents every day with updates on her progress. Lenka was accepted, and after finishing school, a new chapter of her life began.
Currently she works freelance and is grateful for every acting opportunity that comes her way. She's not shaped by one ensemble, but by the people she works with. Lenka performs on stages at Arena and DPOH, but also works in independent theatres – she has an upcoming premiere at Divadlo NUDE. With the group Debris Company, she tried performing in English in the production Hunger.
"Having performed at Radošinské naivné divadlo for a long time, I experienced all sorts of theatrical and cultural spaces where theatre happens. With such a busy schedule, I became aware of how important professional preparation is, because we sang in front of audiences every evening. I was always fascinated by preparing for a theatre performance – for example, how you can learn so much text, and where to find the energy to stay in shape before a performance. That's also why I started teaching, to pass on the knowledge I'd gained over the years."
For Lenka, though, the greatest experience is film camera work, when there's more time to prepare. She enjoys collaborating with the whole crew on set, where they live through the story together. You can see her in the film Kavej, which ran in Slovak cinemas this summer.
At ZITA, Lenka fell in love with frames from the Madrid-based brand Nina Mûr. Her first pair was stolen right out of her handbag. So she returned to the optician's for the same model from the Spanish atelier. On Lenka you'll notice the lightweight burgundy Haruka frame made from thin plywood, which has become part of her identity. She also learned about ZITA through her colleague Soňa, who's one of our loyal customers.
"My colleague Soňa Norisova came in one day with a new look and I looked at her and couldn't figure out what was different about her. Then it hit me – she had new glasses that just blended with her. It wasn't a shock, but I registered it subconsciously."
