Ghena Dimitrova
The dramatic soprano, Ghena Dimitrova, was born in Berglez on 6 May 1941. Following her studies at the State Academy of Music as a student of Christo Brambaroy, she continued her studies concentrating in Italian at the La Scala opera school in Milan. Her stage debut in 1965 was singing the role of Abigaille in Nabucco at the Sofia National Opera. This was to become her trademark role throughout her long career
In 1968, after winning the Verdi Competition in Busseto, she went on in 1972 to win the Treviso competition, after which an international career quickly developed. Her debut with the Vienna State Opera was in 1978. As a regular guest at the Arena di Verona between 1980 and 1983 she sang Aida, Gioconda and Turandot. Following Turandot in La Scala in 1983 came performances at the Salzburg Festival in 1984 as Lady Macbeth, Covent Garden as Turandot, and the Paris Grand Opera in 1987 as Norma. in 1987 Ghena Dimitrova sang Aida at the Temple of Luxor in Egypt with additional performances in Buenos Aires, Munich, Berlin and other major opera stages of the world
Her United States debut was with the Dallas Opera in 1981 singing Elvira in Ernani. In New York she sang Abigaille in 1984 and in 1988 debuted with the Metropolitan Opera as Turandot and later as Santuzza, Additional appearances were on most of major stages of tho United States.
Because.of the inexhaustible capacity and sonority of her voice and the mastering of the Italian language, she was a favorite in the dramatic soprano roles of Abigaille, Turandot, Lady Macbeth, Gioconda, Aida, Maddalena in Andrea Chenier and Elvira in Ernani. Later in her career, because of the great range of her voice, she would add the mezzo roles of Amneris and Eboli to her repertoire.
