Elena Nicolai

Stoyanka Savova Nikolova, more famous by her stage name Elena Nicolai (January 24 1905 – October 23 1993), was a Bulgarian mezzo-soprano and opera singer.

Nicolai was born in 1905 in the village of Tzerovo, Pazardzhik region, in Bulgaria. 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 Vestal in "La vestale" 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.