Elena Nicolai
Encyclopedia
Stoyanka Savova Nikolova, more famous by her stage name
Elena Nicolai (January 24, 1905 – October 23, 1993), was a Bulgaria
n mezzo-soprano
and opera
singer.
. She spent her childhood in another Bulgarian town, Panagurishte. She made her operatic debut as Maddalena in Verdi
's Rigoletto in 1932. She spent 20 seasons as a leading mezzo-soprano at Milan
's Teatro alla Scala. After her retirement from opera, she became an actress and had a short film career, starring in seven movies in the period between 1963 and 1968.
Elena Nicolai possessed one of the most secure and powerful voices of the 20th century. Unlike many voices of great size, it was not placement and projection alone, but an unusual depth and muscular strength which seemed to "shake the ground beneath the feet." Count Rasponi's interview of her in The Last Prima Donnas revealed admirable intelligence, lucid thinking, concise expression, and her objective appraisals of Maria Callas
, Antonietta Stella
, and lesser known artists did much to clarify beliefs, especially surrounding Callas.
Nicolai recorded complete operas for RAI and EMI: Eboli in Don Carlos with Stella, Boris Christoff
, and Tito Gobbi
stands out among the others, which include the Grand Vestale in La vestale
and Cuniza in Oberto
, both with Maria Vitale
, Santuzza in Cavalleria rusticana with Mario del Monaco
, the Principessa in Adriana Lecouvreur with Mafalda Favero, and Preziosilla in La forza del destino with Callas.
Nicolai really should perhaps regarded as the mezzo-soprano before Giulietta Simionato
to join the line that ends with Grace Bumbry
, and perhaps began in the 20th century with Irene Minghini-Cattaneo. These ladies represent the falcon which is technically a soprano with the vocal weight and rich vocal timbre similar to that of a mezzo. The other line of great mezzo-sopranos belongs to Ebe Stignani, Fedora Barbieri
, and Fiorenza Cossotto
, who are the purists with great rich voices.
Elena Nicolai sang Wagnerian roles, including the Siegfried Brünnhilde at the Verona Arena, with great success.
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
Elena Nicolai (January 24, 1905 – October 23, 1993), was a Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n mezzo-soprano
Mezzo-soprano
A mezzo-soprano is a type of classical female singing voice whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above...
and opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
singer.
Biography
Nicolai was born in 1905 in the village of Tzerovo, Pazardzhik region, in BulgariaBulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
. She spent her childhood in another Bulgarian town, Panagurishte. She made her operatic debut as Maddalena in Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian Romantic composer, mainly of opera. He was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century...
's Rigoletto in 1932. She spent 20 seasons as a leading mezzo-soprano at Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
's Teatro alla Scala. After her retirement from opera, she became an actress and had a short film career, starring in seven movies in the period between 1963 and 1968.
Elena Nicolai possessed one of the most secure and powerful voices of the 20th century. Unlike many voices of great size, it was not placement and projection alone, but an unusual depth and muscular strength which seemed to "shake the ground beneath the feet." Count Rasponi's interview of her in The Last Prima Donnas revealed admirable intelligence, lucid thinking, concise expression, and her objective appraisals of Maria Callas
Maria Callas
Maria Callas was an American-born Greek soprano and one of the most renowned opera singers of the 20th century. She combined an impressive bel canto technique, a wide-ranging voice and great dramatic gifts...
, Antonietta Stella
Antonietta Stella
Antonietta Stella is an Italian operatic soprano, one of the finest Italian spinto sopranos of the 1950s and 1960s, possessing a beautiful and ample voice, and particularly associated with Verdi and Puccini roles.Stella studied at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, and made her...
, and lesser known artists did much to clarify beliefs, especially surrounding Callas.
Nicolai recorded complete operas for RAI and EMI: Eboli in Don Carlos with Stella, Boris Christoff
Boris Christoff
Boris Christoff was a Bulgarian opera singer...
, and Tito Gobbi
Tito Gobbi
Tito Gobbi was an Italian operatic baritone with an international reputation.-Biography:Tito Gobbi was born in Bassano del Grappa and studied law at the University of Padua before he trained as a singer. Giulio Crimi, a well-known Italian tenor of a previous generation, was Gobbi's teacher in Rome...
stands out among the others, which include the Grand Vestale in La vestale
La vestale
La vestale is an opera composed by Gaspare Spontini to a French libretto by Etienne de Jouy. It was first performed at the Paris Opéra in Paris on December 15, 1807 and is regarded as Spontini's masterpiece...
and Cuniza in Oberto
Oberto (opera)
Oberto, Conte di San Bonifacio is an opera in two acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Temistocle Solera, based on an existing libretto by Antonio Piazza probably called Rocester....
, both with Maria Vitale
Maria Vitale
Maria Vitale was an Italian operatic soprano, particularly associated with the Italian repertory.She studied with the renowned Giannina Arangi-Lombardi in Milan. At first it was assumed that her voice was that of a coloratura soprano, however upon the recommendation of composer Riccardo...
, Santuzza in Cavalleria rusticana with Mario del Monaco
Mario del Monaco
Mario Del Monaco was an Italian tenor who is regarded by his admirers as being one of the greatest dramatic tenors of the 20th century....
, the Principessa in Adriana Lecouvreur with Mafalda Favero, and Preziosilla in La forza del destino with Callas.
Nicolai really should perhaps regarded as the mezzo-soprano before Giulietta Simionato
Giulietta Simionato
Giulietta Simionato was an Italian mezzo-soprano. Her career spanned from the 1930s until her retirement in 1966.-Life:Born at Forlì, Romagna, she studied in Rovigo and Padua, and made her operatic debut at Montagnana in 1928...
to join the line that ends with Grace Bumbry
Grace Bumbry
Grace Bumbry , an American opera singer, is considered one of the leading mezzo-sopranos of her generation, as well as a major soprano for many years...
, and perhaps began in the 20th century with Irene Minghini-Cattaneo. These ladies represent the falcon which is technically a soprano with the vocal weight and rich vocal timbre similar to that of a mezzo. The other line of great mezzo-sopranos belongs to Ebe Stignani, Fedora Barbieri
Fedora Barbieri
Fedora Barbieri was an Italian mezzo-soprano.Barbieri was born in Trieste. She made her official debut in Florence in 1940, but retired in 1943 because of her marriage. She re-emerged in 1945. She was one of the first performers to investigate and perform in early operas by Monteverdi and Pergolesi...
, and Fiorenza Cossotto
Fiorenza Cossotto
Fiorenza Cossotto is an Italian mezzo soprano. She is considered by many to be one of the great mezzo-sopranos of the 20th century.-Life and career:...
, who are the purists with great rich voices.
Elena Nicolai sang Wagnerian roles, including the Siegfried Brünnhilde at the Verona Arena, with great success.