After winning first prize in a singing competition in Paris, Bulgarian cultural bureaucrats, who had initially decreed Ghiaurov should stay in his homeland, changed their minds.
Performer Biography
Ghiaurov's bass voice was discovered during his military service when he was directing a choir and sang some phrases while teaching the music.
Interpretation
The live recordings on this album reveal Nicolai Ghiaurov's creative qualities as a singer, showing he 'acts with his voice' rather than just producing magnificent tones.
Performer Biography
Nicolai Ghiaurov, the bass singer on this album, initially lost interest in singing after his voice changed, focusing instead on playing violin, clarinet, and trumpet, and aspiring to be an actor.
Performer Biography
Nicolai Ghiaurov and Mirella Freni, a renowned soprano, were not only artistic partners with many joint performances but also married in 1977.
Recording & Production
This album features live recordings from two 'Sunday Concerts' with the Münchner Rundfunkorchester, one from 1966 and another from 1969.
Performer Biography
Herbert von Karajan, the director of the Vienna State Opera, became Nicolai Ghiaurov's most important mentor after Ghiaurov's debut there in 1957.
