Ghena Dimitrova facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ghena Dimitrova
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | May 6, 1941 Pleven, Kingdom of Bulgaria
|
| Died | June 11, 2005 (aged 64) |
| Resting place | Central Sofia Cemetery |
| Occupation | Opera singer (soprano) |
Ghena Dimitrova (born May 6, 1941 – died June 11, 2005) was a famous Bulgarian opera singer. She was a soprano, which means she sang the highest parts in opera. Her voice was incredibly powerful and could reach very high notes. She was especially known for her role as Turandot, and she sang for over 40 years!
Early Career and First Steps
Ghena Dimitrova was born in a small Bulgarian village called Beglezh in 1941. From a young age, she loved to sing. She started singing in her school choir. Her strong voice was so impressive that she was invited to study at the Sofia Conservatory, a special music school in Bulgaria. She studied there from 1959 to 1964.
When she first started, teachers thought she might be a mezzo-soprano (a singer with a slightly lower voice than a soprano). But by her second year, they realized her voice was perfect for the higher soprano roles. After finishing her studies, she even taught singing for a while.
Her big break came in 1967. She got to play the part of Abigaille in an opera called Nabucco by Giuseppe Verdi. This happened because other singers couldn't perform. This role helped her become known as a powerful opera singer.
Becoming an International Star
In 1970, Ghena Dimitrova won the Sofia International Singing Competition. This prize allowed her to study at La Scala, a very famous opera house in Milan, Italy.
She made her first performance in Italy in 1975, singing the role of Turandot in a city called Treviso. Later, in 1983, she performed the same role at La Scala itself, alongside the famous tenor Plácido Domingo. She also sang in other major opera houses around the world, like the Teatro Colón in Argentina.
Ghena Dimitrova once said about the Turandot role: "Turandot might not be my favorite part, but it really shows off the voice well. The way the music is written, you need a voice like a trumpet to sing it properly."
In 1987, she made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, which is another very famous opera house. She sang Turandot there too.
She also performed in the United States in 1981, in an opera called Ernani. In 1983, she sang at the Barbican Arts Centre in London and later that year at the Covent Garden, another important opera house in London. She said her late start in some of these big venues was due to "politics."
Ghena Dimitrova also sang some mezzo-soprano roles, even though she was a soprano. For example, she played Amneris in Verdi's Aida and Eboli in Don Carlo.
After she stopped performing on stage in 2001, Ghena Dimitrova continued to work with young singers, helping them learn and grow. She passed away from cancer in Milan, Italy, on June 11, 2005. After her death, the Bulgarian government promised to create a fund in her name to help new, talented singers.
Honours
A mountain peak in Antarctica is named after Ghena Dimitrova. It is called Dimitrova Peak.
Videography
- James Levine's 25th Anniversary Metropolitan Opera Gala (1996), Deutsche Grammophon DVD, B0004602-09
See also
In Spanish: Ghena Dimitrova para niños
