Lyubomir Bodurov - Famous Opera Voices of Bulgaria: Lyubomir Bodurov (2019)

After the albums featuring the tenor Dimitar Uzunov and the soprano Yulia Wiener-Chenisheva, the series FAMOUS OPERA VOICES OF BULGARIA continues with another ‘golden’ voice from the second half of the 20th century – Lyubomir Bodurov (tenor). He began as a singer in the Gusla choir and in 1950 he was admitted to study, after a competition, at the State Music Theatre. His first teacher there was Prof. Georgi Zlatev-Cherkin (1950-1952) and then the famous mezzo-soprano Konstansa Kirova, who for many years taught and guided the singer with her valuable advice. Already in his first year at the Musical Theatre and with his first role as Adam in Der Vogelhändler by Zeller, which was a big and difficult role for a young and inexperienced artist, Lyubomir Bodurov became a favorite of the audience. This was followed by impressive interpretations in the roles from the operetta classics, participations in Russian and Bulgarian operettas, where he is an equal partner of the biggest operetta artists of that time, such as Mimi Balkanska. After his brilliant performance at two international competitions, he received a one-year scholarship for the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow (1955-1956), where on 1 April1956 he debuted as Don José in Carmen by Bizet. As a postgraduate student, he prepared two more opera roles – in Iolanta (Count Vaudémont) and Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades (Herman) – two main roles in the repertoire of every tenor. Upon his return to Bulgaria, he was invited to sing at the Sofia Opera and for 30 years he was one of its leading artists. His roles from the opera classics are still remembered, and his partners on the stage were famous Bulgarian singers. Lyubomir Bodurov’s tours in the country and abroad were extremely successful. He was applauded everywhere by the audience, and the music critics wrote about him with enthusiasm. The singer was also highly appreciated in Bulgaria. For his remarkable artistic achievements, Lyubomir Bodurov was awarded with the highest state awards, orders and titles.