Description:

This compilation captures Ghiaurov at his finest, in the full prime of his career, when his voice combined velvet smoothness with thunderous resonance. Born in Bulgaria in 1929, Ghiaurov rose to become one of the most commanding basses of the 20th century. His suave stage presence and richly colored instrument made him a natural fit for roles ranging from aging kings to the devil himself, and he brought equal authority to both.

Having had the misfortune to be born after all of the performances in my catalog were recorded, I’m left to imagine what singers like Nilsson, Tebaldi, and Corelli must have sounded like live. But I was fortunate enough to hear the great Nicolai Ghiaurov in person on more than one occasion. Though it was late in his career and the voice no longer at its freshest, I can say without hesitation that I have never encountered a bass voice more booming—it was almost super-human.

Featured here are arias and excerpts from Mefistofele, Boris Godunov, Nabucco, Macbeth, Attila, Simon Boccanegra, and Don Carlo.

In Stereo and Mono

OD 11403-1