After the spectacle of “Madama Butterfly” by Puccini at the Sofia Opera and Ballet, on Friday, 16 October 2020 at 19.00 h, will be handed out a Golden Lyre for overall artistic activity to Professor Niko Isakov, who performs the lead baritone role – Sharpless. On behalf of the Union of Bulgarian Musicians and Dancers the award will handed out by Prof. Dr. Rostislav Yovchev.
Professor Niko Isakov started his artistic path at the Varna Opera in 1989, where during five seasons he was full-time soloist. In 1994, after a competition, he was appointed at the Sofia Opera as artist-soloist. In his repertoire he has over 30 central baritone roles. On Sofia stage he has sung ca. 300 spectacles, the most important of which are:
- “Don Carlo” – a spectacle, dedicated to 40 years artistic activity of the great bass Nicolai Ghiaurov;
- “Don Carlo” – a spectacle, dedicated to 40 years artistic activity of Nicola Ghiuselev;
- “Un ballo in maschera” – a spectacle, dedicated to 30 years artistic activity of Ghena Dimitrova;
- “Don Carlo” – a spectacle, dedicated to 100 years of the death of G. Verdi with the participation of Nicola Ghiuselev and Ghena Dimitrova;
- “Tosca”, “Un ballo in maschera”, “Don Carlo” with the participation of Anna Tomowa-Sintow and others.
During his operatic and stage activity he has sung under the baton of eminent conductors like: Rouslan Raichev, Boris Hinchev, Ivan Marinov, Nedyalko Nedyalkov, Vladimir Ghiaurov, Adam Fischer, Carlo Palleschi, Luiz Malheiro, Enrico Dovico, Loris Voltolini, Ion Iancu, Jost Meier and others.
He has worked with the stage directors: Plamen Kartaloff, Svetozar Donev, Pavel Gerdjikov, Kuzman Popov, Grisha Azagarov, Otello Camponeschi, Wolfgang Weber and others.
He has sung and was partner of the world-known singers: Nicolai Ghiaurov, Nicola Ghiuselev, Ghena Dimitrova, Anna Tomowa-Sintow, Alexandrina Miltcheva, Adriana Stamenova, Darina Takova, Fiorenza Cossotto, Maria Dragoni, Violeta Urmana, Gail Gilmore and others.
Some of the most significant individual engagements abroad were: Brazil, Portugal, Italy, Malta, Serbia. Moldova, Germany, Macedonia, etc.
He teaches opera singing at the Prof. Pancho Vladigerov National Academy of Music, where he is Professor, Dean of the Vocal Faculty.