Nicolai Ghiaurov facts for kids

Nicolai Ghiaurov (born September 13, 1929 – died June 2, 2004) was a famous Bulgarian opera singer. He was known as one of the best "basses" (a deep male voice) after World War II. People loved his strong and rich voice. He was especially famous for singing roles in operas by Mussorgsky and Verdi.

Ghiaurov married Zlatina Mishakova in 1956. Later, in 1978, he married the Italian opera singer Mirella Freni. They often sang together on stage. They lived in Modena, Italy, until Ghiaurov passed away in 2004 from a heart attack.

Nicolai Ghiaurov's Life Story

Ghiaurov monument in Velingrad

Nicolai Ghiaurov was born in a small mountain town called Velingrad in southern Bulgaria. As a child, he loved music. He learned to play the violin, piano, and clarinet.

He started his official music studies in 1949. He went to the Bulgarian State Conservatory. There, he studied with a professor named Cristo Brambarov.

In 1950, Ghiaurov received a special scholarship from the government. This allowed him to study at the Moscow Conservatory until 1955.

Becoming an Opera Star

Ghiaurov's singing career truly began in 1955. He won a big award at a vocal competition in Paris. He also won first prize and a gold medal at a festival in Prague.

His first time singing in an opera was in 1955. He played Don Basilio in The Barber of Seville in Sofia, Bulgaria. In 1956, he moved to the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. There, he sang his first Mephistopheles role.

He made his Italian opera debut in 1958 in Bologna. Then, he started his international career. This happened when he sang Varlaam in the opera Boris Godunov at La Scala in 1959.

In 1962, Ghiaurov sang at Covent Garden in London for the first time. He played Padre Guardiano in Verdi's La forza del destino. That same year, he also performed in Salzburg. He sang in Verdi's Requiem, led by the famous conductor Herbert von Karajan.

Singing with Mirella Freni

Nicolai Ghiaurov first met Mirella Freni on stage in 1961. They were performing in Genoa. She was Marguerite, and he was Mephistopheles in the opera Faust.

They got married in 1978. They lived in Mirella's hometown, Modena. They often sang together in many operas. Some of their notable performances were in Simon Boccanegra (1971), Faust (1976), Don Carlos (1976), and Ernani (1982).

Performing Around the World

Ghiaurov first sang in the United States in 1963. He performed in Gounod's Faust at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. He sang twelve different roles with that company. These included the main roles in Boris Godunov, Don Quichotte, and Mefistofele.

He made his Metropolitan Opera debut in New York City on November 8, 1965. He sang as Mefistofele. He performed 81 times in ten different roles there. His last performance at the Met was in 1996. He sang Sparafucile in Rigoletto.

Throughout his career, he also performed at many other famous opera houses. These included the Vienna State Opera, the Royal Opera House in London, and the Paris Opéra.

His Amazing Voice

In the late 1970s, Ghiaurov recorded the main role in Massenet's opera Don Quichotte. This was the first full stereo recording of the opera. He made many recordings during his career. His recordings include many of his famous stage roles. These roles include Don Giovanni, Don Basilio, Ramfis, and Boris Godunov.

A writer named Martin Bernheimer described Ghiaurov's voice. He said Ghiaurov had a "remarkable vocal instrument." He added that it was "strikingly generous in size, warm in timbre, dark in color." This means his voice was big, rich, and deep.

In October 2000, when he was 71, Ghiaurov gave a wonderful performance. It was at the first Herbert von Karajan Memorial concert in Ulm. He sang opera songs and duets with Mirella Freni.

Videography

Nicolai Ghiaurov's performances can be seen on video.

• The Metropolitan Opera Centennial Gala (1983)
• The Metropolitan Opera Gala 1991

Honour

A place in Antarctica is named after Nicolai Ghiaurov. It is called Ghiaurov Peak. It is located on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands.

See also

In Spanish: Nikolái Giaúrov para niños