World famous Bulgarian opera singer Kamen Chanev dies of Covid-19

The world famous Bulgarian opera singer Kamen Chanev has died at the age of 56. He was diagnosed with COVID-19 a week ago and admitted to the hospital in Stara Zagora for treatment. Despite the dotors best efforts, he lost the battle with the disease.

A few days ago, Kamen's friends urgently organosed a campaign for donation of convalescent blood plasma for his treatment after he was hospitalised.

Kamen Chanev was born on August 27, 1964 in the south Bulgarian city of Sliven. He was the most successful Bulgarian tenor with an international career - soloist at the National Opera and Ballet in Sofia and at the Prague Opera, Czech Republic. He graduated from the State Academy of Music in Sofia. He specialized in the Roman Academy of Arts and Culture under Boris Hristov.

He worked with Alexandrina Milcheva, Gena Dimitrova, Leone Magiera (pianist of Luciano Pavarotti). Winner of the Jussi Björling Competition, Sweden. He performed in the main tenor repertoire not only in Bulgaria but also on the big opera stages in Europe, Asia and the USA.

Kamen Chanev's name is associated with the stages of Vienna State Opera (as De Grijo in "Manon Lescaut" and Pinkerton in "Madame Butterfly") and the Arena Di Verona (Calaf in "Turandot").

The singer's repertoire is diverse and includes over 30 main roles ("Aida", "Don Carlos", "La Traviata", "Rigoletto", "Rustic Chivalry", "Clowns", "Troubadour", "Madame Butterfly", "Tosca" , "Rigoletto", "Carmen", etc.), as well as the tenor parts from the cantata-oratorio works "Ninth Symphony" by Beethoven, "Requiem" by Mozart, Verdi and Dvorak, "Stabat Mater" by Rossini, "Symphony №8 ” by Mahler et al.

A tribute to his memory!