Stefka Evstatieva
Encyclopedia
Stefka Evstatieva is a Bulgaria
n operatic soprano
. Born in Ruse, she studied voice at the State Academy of Music in Sofia
with Elena Kisselova. She began her career with the Ruse Opera where she made her debut as Amelia in Un ballo in maschera
and sang there from 1971 to 1979. In 1974 Stefka Evstatieva won the second prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition
in Moscow. (No first prize was awarded). In 1978 she won the Grand Prize of Belgian Radio & TV Belcanto Competition; in 1979 Grand Prize and Golden Ring in the Young Singers Competition in Sofia; and in 1982 the Best Performance Award at the Arena di Verona.
She joined the Sofia National Opera in 1978, and began to appear internationally two years later with debuts at the Vienna State Opera
in 1980, the Munich State Opera and the Royal Opera in 1981 and the Arena di Verona and La Scala
in 1983. Additional engagements included Paris, Rome, Brussels, Buenos Aires
, Berlin, Canada and Frankfurt. Her debut in the United States was singing Lisa in The Queen of Spades
with the Philadelphia Opera in 1983, then followed performances in San Francisco and Dallas in 1984 and 1986, with additional engagements in New Orleans, Miami and Baltimore
. Her Metropolitan Opera
debut was on April 9, 1984 singing Élisabeth de Valois in Don Carlos
.
In addition to performing as a concert singer her major operatic roles included Aida, Donna Elvira, Desdemona
, Leonora in Forza del Destino, Maddalena in Andrea Chénier
, Élisabeth de Valois in Don Carlos, Amelia and the Russian roles of Lisa and Tatyana.
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 operatic soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
. Born in Ruse, she studied voice at the State Academy of Music in Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
with Elena Kisselova. She began her career with the Ruse Opera where she made her debut as Amelia in Un ballo in maschera
Un ballo in maschera
Un ballo in maschera , is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi with text by Antonio Somma. The libretto is loosely based on an 1833 play, Gustave III, by French playwright Eugène Scribe who wrote about the historical assassination of King Gustav III of Sweden...
and sang there from 1971 to 1979. In 1974 Stefka Evstatieva won the second prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition
International Tchaikovsky Competition
The International Tchaikovsky Competition is a classical music competition held every four years in Moscow, Russia for pianists, violinists, and cellists between 16 and 30 years of age, and singers between 19 and 32 years of age...
in Moscow. (No first prize was awarded). In 1978 she won the Grand Prize of Belgian Radio & TV Belcanto Competition; in 1979 Grand Prize and Golden Ring in the Young Singers Competition in Sofia; and in 1982 the Best Performance Award at the Arena di Verona.
She joined the Sofia National Opera in 1978, and began to appear internationally two years later with debuts at the Vienna State Opera
Vienna State Opera
The Vienna State Opera is an opera house – and opera company – with a history dating back to the mid-19th century. It is located in the centre of Vienna, Austria. It was originally called the Vienna Court Opera . In 1920, with the replacement of the Habsburg Monarchy by the First Austrian...
in 1980, the Munich State Opera and the Royal Opera in 1981 and the Arena di Verona and La Scala
La Scala
La Scala , is a world renowned opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the New Royal-Ducal Theatre at La Scala...
in 1983. Additional engagements included Paris, Rome, Brussels, Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Berlin, Canada and Frankfurt. Her debut in the United States was singing Lisa in The Queen of Spades
The Queen of Spades (opera)
The Queen of Spades, Op. 68 is an opera in 3 acts by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky to a Russian libretto by the composer's brother Modest Tchaikovsky, based on a short story of the same name by Alexander Pushkin. The premiere took place in 1890 in St...
with the Philadelphia Opera in 1983, then followed performances in San Francisco and Dallas in 1984 and 1986, with additional engagements in New Orleans, Miami and Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
. Her Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
debut was on April 9, 1984 singing Élisabeth de Valois in Don Carlos
Don Carlos
Don Carlos is a five-act grand opera composed by Giuseppe Verdi to a French language libretto by Camille du Locle and Joseph Méry, based on the dramatic play Don Carlos, Infant von Spanien by Friedrich Schiller...
.
In addition to performing as a concert singer her major operatic roles included Aida, Donna Elvira, Desdemona
Desdemona
Desdemona is a character in William Shakespeare's play Othello.Desdemona may also refer to:People* Desdemona , a soprano role in the 1816 opera Otello by Gioachino Rossini...
, Leonora in Forza del Destino, Maddalena in Andrea Chénier
Andrea Chénier
Andrea Chénier is a verismo opera in four acts by the composer Umberto Giordano, set to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica. It is based loosely on the life of the French poet, André Chénier , who was executed during the French Revolution....
, Élisabeth de Valois in Don Carlos, Amelia and the Russian roles of Lisa and Tatyana.
Sources
- Henshenson, Roberta, "Tosca' Helps Reveal a Woman's Character", New York Times 15 October 1995
- Metropolitan OperaMetropolitan OperaThe Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
, http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/gisrch2k.r?Term=Evstatieva,%20Stefka%20%5BSoprano%5D&limit=5000&vsrchtype=no&xBranch=ALL&xmtype=&Start=&End=&theterm=%45vs%74a%74i%65va,%20S%74%65fka%20%5BSop%72ano%5D&srt=&x=0&xHome=http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/bibpro.htm&xHomePath=http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/Performance record: Evstatieva, Stefka (Soprano)] on the MetOpera Database - O'Connor, John, Review: "Tchaikovsky's Queen of Spades", New York Times, 9 April 1984
- University of PittsburghUniversity of PittsburghThe University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
, (University Center for International Studies), Stefka Evstatieva, soprano