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Bulgarian Basso Martin Tzonev: Stage is the best teacher

Bulgarian basso Martin Tzonev had a warm welcome on the local stage. He was invited to perform in Bulgaria long after his debut on the international stage. He has been singing in the past five seasons in performances of the Sofia National Opera and Ballet. He plays Votan (The Ring of Nibelung Wagner), Alidoro (Cenerentola, Rossini), Bertram (Robert le Diable, Robert the Devil, Musorgskiy). Here is what Martin Tzonev told Radio Bulgaria about his music career:

“I was born in the city of Ruse. My father Stoil Tsonev worked for many years as a co-tutor at the Ruse Opera House. He worked with many celebrated world musician such as Dmitriy Shostakovich there. I started to attend his rehearsals when I was a little child. Of course, I started to attend piano lessons, but later started to play the guitar. When my voice started to break my father introduced me to the legendary teacher Maestro Georgi Deliganev. I graduated from high school where I majored in architecture. However, when I was placed first among all male applicants who wanted to join the National Music Academy I decided to fully devote myself to music. I had the chance to establish a connection between academic education and stage. When I graduated from the National Music Academy I received a scholarship by the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz (Austria). Later I received an invitation from the International Opera Studio in Amsterdam. I met there the Director of Columbia Records who told me: Boy, you have a Rolls Royce in your voice. However, I knew that was not enough for me to succeed. I had the opportunity to develop my vocal technique and my presence on stage for one whole year when I worked at the opera studios. I worked with the right material for my age. In Bulgaria musicians choose the most-difficult roles. I made my debut in Atilla when I was twenty seven. When I went to study abroad I already had a dozen roles in my CV. I do not regret my decision. The risk is huge and few opera singers manage to make a solo career. It is hard, because you need to be an individual player and be patient and humble at the same time.”


Martin Tzonev works in Bulgaria and Germany. He is a soloist at the Opera Theatre in Bonn, but also tours on a series of stages in Italy, France, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands. He lives in Bonn which reminds him about his native city of Ruse. Bonn is also situated on a river bank and bears aristocratic music spirit. It is the native city of Beethoven, Martin Tzonev went on to say.

In 2010 Martin made his debut on the stage of the Sofia Opera House. Director Plamen Kartalov offered him to take the role of Votan at The Ring of Nibelung by Richard Wagner. It was a great heroism to present successfully the whole tetralogy in Bulgaria, Martin Tzonev says. It is a great risk and big responsibility to present this opera on stage, so that none of the following: the composers, the directors, the conductors and the audience are left disappointed. Here is what Martin Tzonev told Radio Bulgaria about the forthcoming tour at the Sofia Opera House in September.

“Maestro Kartalov was dreaming to send us to Germany to perform the most difficult German opera - The Ring of the Nibelung, where we are rather singing actors. That is why it is very important to perform sincerely every word, detail and color. Opera is a live art. Fortunately there are enough Bulgarian singers who can carry out a good performance. As a matter of fact, we have been trying to be perfect throughout our whole career. I hope that we will stay healthy and fit.”

Martin Tzonev will again play Boris Godunov before he departs to Germany for his tour. The opera play will be performed at Tsarevets Fortress in Veliko Tarnovo on July 31 and August 1 after the spectacular show in front of Saint Alexander Nevski Cathedral in Sofia.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov



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