Ghena Dimitrova

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Ghena Dimitrova
Гена Димитрова
Born(1941-05-06)6 May 1941
Pleven, Kingdom of Bulgaria
Died11 June 2005(2005-06-11) (aged 64)
Milan, Italy
Resting placeCentral Sofia Cemetery
42°42′41.4″N 023°20′05.8″E / 42.711500°N 23.334944°E / 42.711500; 23.334944
Education Bulgarian State Conservatoire
OccupationOpera singer (soprano)
Spouse
Gheorghi Stojkov
​
​
(m. 1967; died 1991)​

Ghena Dimitrova (Bulgarian: Гeна Димитpова, 6 May 1941 – 11 June 2005) was a Bulgarian operatic soprano.[1][2] Her voice was known for its power and extension used in operatic roles such as Turandot in a career spanning four decades.[3][4]

Early career

Ghena Dimitrova was born in the Bulgarian village of

Sofia Conservatory studying under Christo Brambarov between 1959 and 1964.[5] While she was initially classified as a mezzo-soprano
, she was recognised as a soprano in her second year.

After finishing her studies at the

Bulgarian National Opera production of Giuseppe Verdi's Nabucco
after a couple of other sopranos dropped out. In the early recordings Dimitrova's voice had not yet reached its signature size, and in many of the early Nabucco productions, the final optional high C is omitted in the cabaletta, Salgo già, which she would include later in her career.

International career

Dimitrova won the Sofia International Singing Competition in 1970, the prize including a course of study at La Scala's Scuola di Perfezionamento.

She made her Italian debut as Turandot in

Arena di Verona production from 1983, with Nicola Martinucci and Cecilia Gasdia. In 1987, she made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera
in New York performing the same role.

Dimitrova once said of the role: "Turandot may not be my favorite part, but it shows off the voice to great advantage. The way the music is written, you need a voice like a trumpet to do it justice."

Her debut in the

Barbican Arts Centre in Ponchielli's La Gioconda in 1983 before making her Covent Garden
debut in the same year. Her late debut she later attributed simply to "politics".

Dimitrova also sang some mezzo-soprano roles in her repertory. The most notable of these were Amneris, which she did at La Scala's 1985 staging of Verdi's

Don Carlo. [6][7]

After retiring from the stage in 2001, Dimitrova remained active working with young singers. One of her students is the soprano Elena Baramova.

Dimitrova died of cancer in Milan on 11 June 2005.[8] After her death the Bulgarian Government promised to establish a fund in her name for promising young singers.

Honours

Dimitrova Peak in Antarctica is named after Ghena Dimitrova.

Videography

  • James Levine's 25th Anniversary Metropolitan Opera Gala (1996), Deutsche Grammophon DVD, B0004602-09
  • Teatro alla Scala
    ,1984), Warner Music Vision DVD, 0927-44927-2
  • Teatro alla Scala
    , 1987), Warner Music Vision DVD, 5050467-0944-2-0
  • Teatro alla Scala
    , 1986), ArtHaus Music BR/DVD, 109087
The grave of Ghena Dimitrova and her husband in Central Sofia Cemetery (42°42′41.4″N 023°20′05.8″E / 42.711500°N 23.334944°E / 42.711500; 23.334944)

References

  1. ^ Goodwin, Noël (2001). "Dimitrova, Ghena". In Sadie, Stanley (ed.). New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Vol. 7 (2nd ed.). Macmillan Publishers Limited. p. 353.
  2. ^ Blyth, Alan (27 June 2005). "Ghena Dimitrova, Obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  3. ^ "Ghena Dimitrova, Obituary". The Telegraph. 13 June 2005. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  4. ^ Associated Press (13 June 2005). "Ghena Dimitrova, 64, Soprano Known for Powerful Voice, Is Dead". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  5. ISBN 1-85743-081-6
    .
  6. ^ "Opera Diva Ghena Dimitrova".
  7. ^ "Ghena Dimitrova".
  8. ^ Гена Димитрова - момичето от село, което покори света (in Bulgarian)

External links

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