Elena Nicolai

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Stoyanka Savova Nikolova (Bulgarian: Стоянка Савова Николова), best known by her stage name Elena Nicolai (Bulgarian: Елена Николай) (24 January 1905 – 24 October 1993), was a Bulgarian operatic mezzo-soprano.[1]

Early life and training

Nicolai was born in the village of

Panagurishte. At the age of 19, she moved to Milan to study opera, first with Vincenzo Pintorno and later with Ettore Pozzoli.[2]

Operatic career

She made her operatic debut as Maddalena in

Teatro alla Scala
. After her retirement from opera, she became an actress and had a short film career, starring in seven movies in the period between 1963 and 1968.

She recorded complete operas for RAI and EMI: Eboli in Don Carlos with

Mario del Monaco
, the Principessa in Adriana Lecouvreur with Mafalda Favero, and Preziosilla in La forza del destino with Callas. She sang Wagnerian roles, including Brünnhilde in Die Walküre at the Verona Arena, according to her interview with Lanfranco Rasponi in his book, The Last Prima Donnas.

Roles sung

Recordings

Films

Honours

Nicolai Peak in Antarctica is named after Elena Nicolai.

Bibliography

  • Nicolai, Elena (1993). La mia vita fra i grandi del melodramma. Parma: Azzali. p. 200.

References

  1. ^ "Elena Nicolai - Library of Congress". id.loc.gov. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  2. .

External links