Opera Singer. Bulgarian-born opera singer with a sumptuous voice who became one of the great basses of the post-World War II era. He specialized in late 19th-century works and often performed with his wife, the star Italian soprano Mirella Freni. He studied opera singing at the Sofia Musical Academy and continued his studies in Moscow. His career got off to an auspicious start when he won top prizes at opera-singing festivals in Warsaw and Paris. He made his debut at the Sofia National Opera in 1955. He performed at Moscow's Bolshoi Theater, the Vienna State Opera, the Paris Opera, Milan's La Scala, London's Covent Garden and New York's Metropolitan Opera, among other houses. His finest roles included Mephistopheles in Charles Gounod's "Faust"; Philip II in Verdi's "Don Carlo"; the title character in Mozart's "Don Giovanni"; and the title role of Boris Godunov in Mussorgsky's opera. He made his Metropolitan Opera debut on Nov. 8, 1965. He sang a total of 81 performances in 10 roles, last appearing on Oct. 26, 1996.
Opera Singer. Bulgarian-born opera singer with a sumptuous voice who became one of the great basses of the post-World War II era. He specialized in late 19th-century works and often performed with his wife, the star Italian soprano Mirella Freni. He studied opera singing at the Sofia Musical Academy and continued his studies in Moscow. His career got off to an auspicious start when he won top prizes at opera-singing festivals in Warsaw and Paris. He made his debut at the Sofia National Opera in 1955. He performed at Moscow's Bolshoi Theater, the Vienna State Opera, the Paris Opera, Milan's La Scala, London's Covent Garden and New York's Metropolitan Opera, among other houses. His finest roles included Mephistopheles in Charles Gounod's "Faust"; Philip II in Verdi's "Don Carlo"; the title character in Mozart's "Don Giovanni"; and the title role of Boris Godunov in Mussorgsky's opera. He made his Metropolitan Opera debut on Nov. 8, 1965. He sang a total of 81 performances in 10 roles, last appearing on Oct. 26, 1996.
Bio by: Ron Moody
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