Country

:

Bulgaria

Birth

:

July 18, 1965 in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria

Genre

:

Crossover

 

 

Opera

 

 

Vocal

 

Vesselina Kasarova is a Bulgarian mezzo-soprano who has established herself as one of the most prominent classical music artists of her generation. Born on July 18, 1965, in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, Kasarova showed an early interest in music and began singing in a children's choir at the age of six. She later studied at the Bulgarian State Conservatory in Sofia, where she received her diploma in 1989. Kasarova's career began to take off in the early 1990s when she won several international singing competitions, including the International Mozart Competition in Salzburg and the International Singing Competition in Geneva. These victories led to her debut at the Zurich Opera House in 1991, where she performed the role of Cherubino in Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro." This performance was widely praised, and Kasarova quickly became known for her rich, warm voice and her ability to convey emotion through her singing. Over the next few years, Kasarova continued to perform in leading opera houses around the world, including the Royal Opera House in London, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, and the Vienna State Opera. She also began to record extensively, releasing albums of opera arias, lieder, and other classical music. One of Kasarova's most notable performances came in 1999 when she sang the role of Octavian in Richard Strauss's "Der Rosenkavalier" at the Salzburg Festival. This performance was widely acclaimed, and Kasarova was praised for her ability to convey the complex emotions of the character. Kasarova has also been recognized for her work in contemporary music, having premiered several works by composers such as György Ligeti and Wolfgang Rihm. In 2003, she performed the world premiere of Rihm's "Das Gehege" at the Salzburg Festival, a performance that was widely praised for its intensity and emotional depth. Throughout her career, Kasarova has received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to classical music. In 2001, she was awarded the Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and Art, and in 2003, she was named a Kammersängerin by the Austrian government. She has also been awarded the Echo Klassik Award several times for her recordings. In addition to her work as a performer, Kasarova has also been active in promoting classical music to a wider audience. She has served as an ambassador for the Swiss Red Cross and has worked with organizations such as UNICEF and the World Wildlife Fund. Today, Kasarova continues to perform regularly and is widely regarded as one of the leading mezzo-sopranos of her generation. Her rich, warm voice and emotional depth have made her a favorite among audiences and critics alike, and her contributions to classical music have been recognized around the world.

More....