INTERNATIONAL AWARD NICOLA GHIUSELEV

Concert of the Laureates  of the V International Nicola Ghiuselev Award 2024 for Opera and Fine Arts in Memory of Maestro Nicola Ghiuselev

Orchestra and soloists of the Sofia Opera and Ballet

Conductor Andrey Galanov

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Laureates of the International Nicola Ghiuselev Award for Opera and Fine Arts 2024

Alexandrina Pendatchanska, soprano
Biser Georgiev, bass
Daniela Dyakova, mezzo-soprano

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On October 5, at 7:00 p.m., the Sofia Opera and Ballet Theatre will host the Concert of the Laureates of the 5th International Prize "Nicola Ghiuselev" 2024

This year the prize will be awarded to Alexandrina Pendatchanska - soprano, Bisser Gheorghiev - bass, Daniela Diakova - mezzo-soprano.

The concert is in memory of the famous lyric bass Maestro Nicola Ghiuselev, Doctor Honoris Causa of the BAS, Commendatore d'Italia, Winner of the International Prize “Verdi d'Oro” and many others.

The concert features the orchestra and soloists of the Sofia Opera and Ballet, conducted by Andrey Galanov

The program of the Graduates' Concert includes orchestral fragments, arias and duets from operas by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Camilles Saint-Saëns, Giacomo Puccini, Pietro Mascagni, Giuseppe Verdi, Vincenzo Bellini, Charles Gounod, Francesco Chilea, Amilcare Ponchielli.

In the book "The Voice That Paints", Nicola Ghiuselev shares: "There is no clear boundary between the different aspects of art... The important thing is to recreate the character you want, to live with him. As for me, I owe a lot to "painting" when building the characters on stage: I carefully trace my body, hands, posture, voice - all components of acting - with the eyes of an artist. It's as if I were drawing them right now!"

The great Ghiuselev's confession is that true interpretation comes "from the mind and soul, from honest and passionate study of the role..."

That is why the entire opera world loves and remembers the famous artist Nikolai Ghiuselev, whose professional path is a great, important art.

The laureates of the International Nicola Ghiuselev Prize in previous years are opera singers Radostina Nikolaeva, Vladimir Stoyanov, Nikolay Karnolski, Kaludi Kaludov, Boyko Tsvetanov, Tsvetelina Vasileva, Georgi Kirov, Mariana Pencheva, Dobromir Momekov, Dimitar Stanchev, Maryan Yovanoski; stage designers Radostin Chomakov, Krasimir Valkanov, Lyubomir Yordanov; conductors Sergio Oliva, Donato Renzetti, Gustav Kuhn.

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Maestro Nicola Ghiuselev
Doctor Honoris Causa of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Commendatore of the Republic of Italy, winner of the international "Golden Giuseppe Verdi" Award for achievements and contributions to Bel canto. Honoуred with the highest awards of Bulgaria and Italy. Honorary Citizen of the town of Pavlikeni and the city of Parma, Italy. 

In 2016 for his 80^th anniversary the Summer Theatre in Pavlikeni and a square in Sofia were named after him. In the same year the International Nicola Ghiuselev Award for opera performance and fine arts was established at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.

Nicola Ghiuselev was born in Pavlikeni on 17 August 1936. The first years of his life were marked with the sign of music and painting. Nicola started singing at a very young age. At the age of 11, he was already playing the lead role in the opera "The Little Violinist" in his hometown. At the same age, he realized that he had another gift – that of an artist. So he began to paint, sing and play, believing at various times in his childhood that he would be a great artist, an unrivalled singer or a future Paganini.

When he was 15, he once heard a performance on the radio that made him "freeze". The monologue of Boris from Mussorgsky's opera "Boris Godunov" performed by Edmond Kosovsky awakened in him a love for opera. In 1951 his family moved to live in Sofia. He began attending opera and theatre spectacles, and in school concerts he performed the roles of Prince Igor, Ivan Susanin and the Toreador from "Carmen". He did not stop with drawing – he won competitions at school. He was admitted to the Academy of Fine Arts in the specialty "Painting". As a student he distinguished himself with a bright gift and excellent technique.

During his studies he also studied singing with Tsvetana Sabeva and Ilia Yosifov and became a soloist in the Song and Dance Ensemble of the Ministry of Interior. He took part in a competition for new members of the Georgi Dimitrov Academic Choir, where he performed an aria of Ivan Susanin and won the competition. He took part in a number of concerts and festivals in Moscow, Vienna and Helsinki (1962), where he was awarded a gold medal as a soloist.

In 1960, when he graduated with honours from his higher artistic education, he was offered a contract to work at the Berlin Opera and he prepared to leave.

At that time Ghiuselev met the opera singer and music teacher Hristo Brambarov and decided to stay in Bulgaria and study singing with him. He remained forever grateful to his teacher, of whom he speaks with great affection and reverence throughout his life.

In 1960, Ghiuselev became a trainee at the Sofia National Opera. A year and a half later – on 27 June 1961 – he made his debut in the role of Timur in the premiere performance of "Turandot". In 1961 he also became a regular artist at the National Opera. The roles of Mícha from "The Bartered Bride" and Father Gabriel from Konstantin Iliev's opera "The Master of Boyana" followed.

In 1963, in the role of Filippo II from "Don Carlo", Ghiuselev won First Prize and Gold Medal at the Second International Competition for Young Opera Singers in Sofia. Success came after only 2 seasons on the professional stage. In 1968, he first stepped on the stage of the Teatro Regio in Parma, Italy, and captured the hearts of the audience. He performed the role of Attila from Verdi's opera of the same name.

His success was colossal.

Nicola Ghiuselev sang on the major opera stages in Europe, North and South America, Australia and Japan: Tetro alla Scala in Milan, Teatro Regio in Parma, Teatro San Carlo – Naples, Staatsoper – Vienna, Staatsoper and Deutsche Oper – Berlin, Covent Garden – London, Grand Opéra – Paris, Bolshoi Theatre – Moscow, Metropolitan Opera – New York, Teatro Colón – Buenos Aires and many others.

His partners on stage have been Boris Christoff, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Ghena Dimitrova, Ana Tomowa-Sintow, Vladimir Atlantov, Evgeny Nesterenko, Elena Obraztsova, Franco Corelli, Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Piero Cappuccilli, Renato Bruson, Katia Ricciarelli, Grace Bumbry, Leo Nucci and many others.

Nicola Ghiuselev has won the highest awards of Bulgaria, Italy and the entire opera world.

In 1994 was the beginning of his pedagogical activity, in 1994-1996 when Nicola Ghiuselev was Director of the Bulgarian Academy of Culture in Rome named after ''Boris Christoff'' and trained two courses of young talented singers who are now on the Bulgarian and world stages.

He continued to pass on his experience to the young almost to the end of his earthly journey.

His last performances on the big stage were in Italy, at the Arena in Macerata with the roles of Filippo II and the Grand Inquisitor from Verdi's "Don Carlo" in the summer of 2005, in Prague, a concert at the famous Rudolfinum concert hall in December 2008, at the Sofia Opera at the Christmas concert on the occasion of his being awarded the title of Doctor Honoris Causa of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in December 2009.

And his audience remembered him always on top!