The world-known soprano with master class and gala concert on 29 MayThe first in our country Vocal Academy of the famous singer and vocal pedagogue Fiorenza Cossotto will be held from 21 to 29 May 2014. As répétiteurs will take part the conductors Nicoletta Conti and Stefan Linev and the dean of the Vocal Faculty of the University of Pittsburgh Genko Geshev.
 
Information about the candidates allowed to enter in audition will be published up to 18 May on the web pages of the Ministry of Culture and of Sofia Opera and Ballet.
 
The audition of the singers allowed to enter will take place on 21 May at Sofia Opera and Ballet.The gala concert of the participants in the Master class of Fiorenza Cossotto will take place at Sofia Opera and Ballet on 29 May 2014 at 19.00 h under the baton of Nicoletta Conti in the first part and Stefan Linev in the second part. Documents (accompanying letter and CV with the participations during the last two years) will be accepted up to 15 May at the following electronic addresses:  slinev@hotmail.com, mlg@bnr.bg, anabogdanova@mail.bg.

Fiorenza Cossotto is an Italian opera singer, who is considered to be one of the greatest mezzo-sopranos of the 20 century. Born in Crescentino, Provence of Vercelli, Italy, Cossotto attended the Turin Academy of Music and graduated top of her class. After her studies with Mercedes Llopart, she made her debut as Sister Matilde in the world premiere of Poulenc's “Dialogues of the Carmelites” in 1957 at La Scala di Milano.

Her international debut was at Wexford Festival in 1958 in the role of Giovanna Seymour in Donizetti's “Anna Bolena”. Her Covent Garden debut was in 1959 as Neris in Cherubini's “Médée”, with Maria Callas in the title role. Her performance of the main role in “La favorita” at La Scala led to wider fame and she made her American debut in the same role in 1964 in Chicago as Amneris and at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1968.

In the next 20 seasons she gave 148 performances at the New York Opera (exclusively leading roles). She was considered an expert in portrayals of the major mezzo-soprano, as well as contralto roles in mid-19th century Italian opera; for example La Favorita, Amneris, Azucena, Eboli, Preziosilla, Maddalena, Ulrica and Laura. She also performed Carmen, Mozart's Cherubino, Urbain in Meyerbeer's “Les Huguenots”, Bellini's Romeo and Marfa in “Khovantschina”.

Cossotto celebrated her 70th birthday with a performance of Suor Angelica from the opera of the same name by Puccini at the Théâtre Royal in Liège, Belgium.