Maria Ventseslavova, a leading soprano in contemporary Bulgarian opera, was born on June 6, 1943, in Pernik. Her artistic career began at an early age in the children’s choir “Bodra Smyana.” She graduated from the Bulgarian State Conservatory in the class of Prof. Elena Kiselova. Since 1967, she has been a soloist with the Ruse Opera, taking on the demanding soprano repertoire. Fate bound her permanently to the Ruse Opera House, which in the 1970s and 1980s was at an exceptionally high level with magnificent productions, brilliant opera artists, and a preserved aristocratic spirit. Her first role was that of Floria Tosca in Giacomo Puccini’s opera of the same name. In an interview conducted in 2018 (just a year before her passing), when asked, “Which role did you feel most at home in?” the singer replied: “In many! Tosca was my first love…” She performed the role over 100 times, often with partners Kiril Krastev as Scarpia and Nikolay Zdravkov as Cavaradossi. The character she portrayed left a lasting impression and is remembered by generations of music lovers to this day.
This was followed by the demanding soprano roles of Desdemona in Verdi’s "Othello" (1967), Lisa in Tchaikovsky’s "The Queen of Spades" (1968), and Elizabeth in Verdi’s "Don Carlo" (1963), Aida in Puccini’s “Aida” (1959, 1980), Amelia in Verdi’s “Un ballo in maschera” (1970), Leonora in Verdi’s “Il trovatore” (1977), and others. In 1974, when Nikolay Gyaurov was a guest at the Ruse National Opera, his stage partner in the production of “Don Carlo” was Maria Ventseslavova.
After three successful seasons on the Ruse stage, in 1970, M. Ventsislavova competed in the Fourth International Competition for Young Opera Singers in Sofia. The jury did not award her a prize, but the talented singer received numerous invitations to perform her favorite role, Floria Tosca. In 1972, she won third place at the prestigious International Singing Competition in Toulouse. Her participation in the two competitions, in Sofia and France, marked a transition to a truly significant achievement on a national and global scale—the Wagner Prize at the “Francisco Viñas” Competition in Barcelona. With her portrayals of the Wagnerian heroines Senta from "The Flying Dutchman" and Elisabeth from "Tannhäuser", she earned the title “Wagnerian Performer.” M. Ventseslavova is the first Bulgarian woman to receive this high distinction.
Maria Ventseslavova and Anastas Anastasov met on stage as the Dutchman and Senta in 1969, and soon after the production’s success, they became a couple. The Opera’s then-dramaturg, Ognyan Stamboliev, wrote that “…the pinnacle of Maria Ventsislavova’s career remains Lady Macbeth from the opera "Macbeth". …Even today, the most die-hard opera fans speak of this duet in life and on stage; Maria and Anastas recall the drama in the duet between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth… They are the embodiment of the symbiosis between two singers…, the iconic star couple of the Ruse Opera House.” For her role as Amelia Grimaldi in Verdi’s “Simon Boccanegra” (1973), M. Ventseslavova received an award from the “Union of Music and Dance Artists” for best vocal performance in productions staged during the 1973–1974 season. The director of these successful productions was Konstantin Dimchev, an actor from the Ruse Drama Theater. Speaking about Dimchev, the singer says: “He was very talented! I really liked him! He put on a wonderful performance, created a wonderful mise-en-scène. Something we hadn’t seen before… I just got goosebumps. Such strong emotions!”
Her strength lies in Verdi and Russian classical opera—Lisa in Tchaikovsky’s "The Queen of Spades" (1968), Yaroslavna in “Prince Igor” by Borodin (1971), Luisa in “Betrothal in a Monastery” by S. Prokofiev (1972), as well as in a series of Bulgarian heroines: the beautiful Zornitsa in “Lud Gidiya” (1967, 1987), Elena from the operetta “Rebellious Song” by Georgi Zlatev-Cherkin (1968), the self-sacrificing and resolute Milkana from “The Masters” by P. Hadzhiev (1972), the gentle Sevina from “Summer 893” (1973), the loving and deeply suffering Elena from L. Pipkov’s “Momchil” (1974), and Lily in “Trevoaga” by Al. Raichev (1974). Maria Ventsislavova was personally invited by composer Pancho Vladigelov to perform the role of Queen Maria in his work “Tsar Kaloyan” in a production by the Stara Zagora Opera (1975). Maria Ventsеslavova also made her mark in the history of “Tsar Kaloyan” with the studio recording of the opera.
On March 23, 1978, as part of the “March Music Days” International Festival, the opera "Maria Desislava" by Parashkev Hadzhiev premiered. The composer is a frequent guest in the city; his operas “Lud Gidiya,” “Albena” (1970), “Masters” (1972), and “Summer 893” (1973) have already been staged in Ruse. And his latest opera, the psychological patriotic drama “Maria Desislava,” Parashkev Hadzhiev wrote specifically for Ruse’s star opera duo. Maria Ventsеslavova shares: “It was a great joy for me, and a great honor bestowed upon me by fate, to meet this heroine! Her self-sacrifice has always given me goosebumps. But who wouldn’t make such sacrifices for their homeland? On the brink of slavery… That is precisely the strength of my heroine. And love. Without love, there is nothing in this world. I loved her prayer to God when she had to choose the path of self-sacrifice.” Regarding Maria Ventsеslavova’s remarkable stage presence and brilliant vocal skills in the role of Maria Desislava, the respected Bulgarian musicologist Prof. Rosalia Bix wrote: “The embodiment of a centuries-old tradition, a symbol of the Bulgarian woman—a proud beauty, virtuous and intelligent!” The “Golden Fund of the Bulgarian National Radio” preserves a recording of an aria from the Second Scene of the opera “Maria Desislava” performed by Maria Ventsеslavova.
Over the years, she has also sung the role of Vay in Gershwin’s "A Sad Monday", played Mercedes in "Carmen", and the First Lady in "The Magic Flute", Silva in “The Queen of the Csárdás,” Maddalena in “Rigoletto,” and Cipra in “The Gypsy Baron.”
She teaches singing, acting, dance, and stage direction at the Ruse Music School. In 1980, she was awarded the title of “Honored Artist.”
On April 30, 2019, the great soprano Maria Ventsislavova passed away at her home in Ruse, leaving behind her talented sons - Orlin and Ventsislav - and her granddaughters - Maria and Anastasia - to carry on her legacy on the Bulgarian opera stage.
* Author: Dr. Veselina Antonova, archivist at the State Opera – Ruse
