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Prof. Raina Mihailova

She was born in Ruse on September 20, 1915. In 1937 she graduated from the State Music Academy in Sofia. She is a student of Lyudmila Prokopova and Hristina Morfova. The year she received her higher education in music marks her first stage performances - at Sofia's Odeon and Renaissance theaters.

Raina Mihailova made her debut on the stage of the Sofia Opera on December 23, 1943 in the role of Mařenka (Marzhenka) in the opera "The Bride Sold" by B. Smetana. Shortly after, she was appointed soloist and quickly accumulated a solid soprano repertoire. Particularly striking are her incarnations as Mimi of J. Bohemia. Puccini, Violetta from J. Traviata's Verdi, Neda in R. Leoncavallo's "Burns", The Countess of Mozart's Figaro Wedding, Pamina of "The Magic Flute" again by Mozart, Oksana in Tchaikovsky's "Shoes", Antonina in Ivan Susanin by Glinka, Martha in Tsar's fiancee by Rimsky-Korsakov.

The star of the Bulgarian opera from the 50s of the last century has had numerous tours both in the country and abroad - alone and with the opera composition. She has performed with such virtuosos as Mstislav Rostropovich and Leonid Kogan.

After the end of her singing career, Raina Mihailova began to teach. She transferred her experience first to the State Academy of Music (1971-1997) and subsequently to the New Bulgarian University, where she was one of the founders of the Department of Music-Performing Arts.

The famous singer is known for her social activism - she was a member of the Sofia City People's Council, a member of the General Union of Workers of the Arts, of the Union of Musicians, a participant in international congresses of supporters of peace.

Raina Mihailova has been honored with a number of high national and foreign awards and honors. In 2000, the New Bulgarian University awarded her the title "Honorary Professor" for her overall contribution to the educational institution, and in particular for her contribution to the creation of the Department of Music and Performing Arts.

Raina Mihailova died in Sofia on April 6, 2008.

 

Raina Mihailova's personal archive arrived to the University Archive of NBU in 2008, according to her will.

A particularly valuable document pertaining to the section "Biographical Materials" is the diploma of Raina Mihailova for higher education, issued on July 12, 1937 by the State Music Academy in Sofia. We should also mention the certificates, diplomas and diplomas for honors, titles and awards, as well as congratulations from representatives of higher state institutions and public organizations, which the singer receives on the occasion of important jubilee and creative anniversaries. This section also includes materials on the life and work of Raina Mihailova - essays in newspapers and magazines, as well as the text in Maria Barbieri's bilingual book "Bulgarian Singers on the Croatian Opera Stage" (Zagreb, 2006).

Billboards and programs of productions and concerts with her participation occupy an important place among the documents related to the creative performances of our famous soprano. They are complemented by numerous reviews in the Bulgarian and foreign press. Another part of the group related to Raina Mihailova's professional life are the scores of opera arias, songs and romances she has worked on, preparing them for stage performance.

Some of the documents submitted to the University Archive of NBU are related to the prima's son, the composer Angel (Angelo) Mihailov - these are his textbooks on music, gramophone records and more.