Nikola Gyuzelev celebrates 90th birthday

Bulgarian opera singer Nikola Gyuzelev celebrates his 90th birthday today. Born in Pavlikeni on August 17, 1936, Gyuzelev achieved international acclaim as a prominent bass, while also being a trained painter.

After studying painting at the Art Academy in 1960, he pursued vocal training under mentors such as Hristo Brambarov. He debuted at the Sofia National Opera in 1961 as Timur in Puccini’s ‘Turandot’. His career saw significant success at the world’s most prestigious venues, including La Scala in Milan, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in London, the Vienna State Opera, and the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow.

Gyuzelev was particularly successful in Italy, debuting at the Teatro Regio in Parma in 1968 as Attila. His notable repertoire included roles such as Philip II in ‘Don Carlos’, Boris Godunov, Mephistopheles, and Don Giovanni.