Mimi Mihaylova Balkanska (1902–1984) was a Bulgarian

opera singer Opera is a form of Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a lib ...

. Her home in

Sofia Sofia is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Bulgaria, largest city of Bulgaria. It is situated in the Sofia Valley at the foot of the Vitosha mountain, in the western part of the country. The city is built west of the Is ...

is national heritage and a Museum.

Biography

Balkanska was born on 22 July 1902 in the Bulgarian town

Ruse Ruse may refer to: Places *Ruse, Bulgaria, a major city of Bulgaria **Ruse Municipality **Ruse Province **19th MMC – Ruse, a constituency *Ruše, a town and municipality in north-eastern Slovenia * Ruše, Žalec, a small settlement in east-cent ...

. She is the granddaughter of Nikola Balkanski, a cousin of

Georgi Sava Rakovski Georgi Stoykov Rakovski () (1821 – 9 October 1867), known also Georgi Sava Rakovski (), born Sabi Stoykov Popovich (), was a 19th-century Bulgarian revolutionary, freemason, writer and an important figure of the Bulgarian National Revival ...

. After her father passes away in 1907, her entire family moves to the capital -

. From 1914 to 1917 she takes piano lessons with Heinrich Wiesner and singing with Penka Toromanova,a famous opera singer. Mimi later specializes in singing in

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

and

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

. She marries twice. Her first husband is the trainer Ivan Tsatschev. On the 23th of May, 1975 she is awarded with the honorary award of Socialist labor and named a

Hero of Socialist Labor The Hero of Socialist Labour () was an honorific title in the Soviet Union and other Warsaw Pact countries from 1938 to 1991. It represented the highest degree of distinction in the USSR and was awarded for exceptional achievements in Soviet ...

. She receives other awards like "Red Flag of Labor during 1959 and the "Kiril and Metodii" culture award. Balkanska also receives other numerous Soviet and National awards like "best artist" in 1949, "national artist" in 1950 and "Dimitrovska nagrada" in 1950.

Career

Occupation

She starts her career in 1916, taking part in the first ever contest for artists, choristers and orchestrates in the National Opera and Ballet of Bulgaria. She is 14 years old at the time. At the age of 17 years old, she sings in the Opera Theater "Renaissance" Sofia-Musical-Theatre-Stefan-Makedonski

She becomes a co-founder of the Sofia Musical Theater "Stefan Makedonski" in Sofia along with other famous artists at the time. It remains as the only theater in Sofia that has been playing musicals for more than 90 years. Balkanska is also one of the co-founders and the director of the Art Opera House in Sofia from 1942 to 1946. Afterwards, from 1948 until 1963 she works in the National Musical Theater in Sofia. She still remains as one of the most popular Opera singers in Bulgaria. Nowadays, there are theater spectacles in her honor - Mimi Balkanska, the Queen of the Opera.

Major Operetta roles

* Sylva Varescu, The Csardas Princess, an operetta by the Hungarian composer

Emmerich Kálmán Emmerich Kálmán ( ; 24 October 1882 – 30 October 1953) was a Kingdom of Hungary, Hungarian composer of operettas and a prominent figure in the development of Operetta#Austria–Hungary, Viennese operetta in the 20th century. Among his most p ...

. * Liza and Countess Maritsa, in Countess Maritsa by the Hungarian composer

. * Ana Glavari in the Merry Widdow ''

Franz Lehár Franz Lehár ( ; ; 30 April 1870 – 24 October 1948) was an Austro-Hungarian composer. He is mainly known for his operettas, of which the most successful and best known is '' The Merry Widow'' (''Die lustige Witwe''). Life and career L ...

'' an Austro-Hungarian composer. * Crystel, in The Bird Seller by

Carl Zeller Carl Adam Johann Nepomuk Zeller (19 June 1842 – 17 August 1898) was an Austrian composer of operettas. Zeller was born in Sankt Peter in der Au, the only child of physician Johann Zeller and Maria Anna Elizabeth. Zeller's father died before h ...

Filmography

* "Vesela Bulgaria" - A young lady (Premiered 19 December 1928) * Neveroyatna Istoriya, (1964)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Balkanska, Mimi 1902 births 1984 deaths 20th-century Bulgarian women opera singers Heroes of Socialist Labour