About
Geo Chobanov, Bass-Baritone
Geo Chobanov is considered by many to be one of the greatest contemporary Bulgarian basses. For more than a decade he is a soloist of Varna’s state opera.
He has been featured in numerous operas in Italy, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania, and many others. He has sung in the prestigious opera festival in Solothurn, Switzerland in Eugene Onegin, Manon Lescaut and La Traviata. He sang, together with Carlo Colombara, in the “Bassissimo” concert, on the 100th anniversary of the birth of Boris Christoff. In the 2021-22 season he participated in “Otello” with Krassimira Stoyanova, Milen Bozhkov and Vladimir Stoyanov. In 2022 he sung the role of Zaccaria (Nabucco) with the participation of world renown baritone Carlos Almaguer.
Geo Chobanov graduated from the National Academy of Music “Pancho Vladigerov” in the opera class of Prof. Niko Isakov. He made his debut in Ruse’s State Opera with Masetto’s part in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, conducted by Velizar Genchev.
Since his graduation in 2006, he has been a soloist in Ruse’s and then in Varna’s State Operas. During the past 15 years he has performed with every Bulgarian opera.
His rich repertoire includes over 40 main bass roles such as The Dutchman (The Flying Dutchman), Philippe II and The Grand Inquisitor (Don Carlos), Attila (Attila), Don Pasquale (Don Pasquale), Ferrando (The Troubadour), Dr. Bartolo and Don Basilio (The Barber of Seville), Oroveso (Norma), Zaccaria (Nabucco), Tutor (Count Ory), Dulcamara (Love Elixir), Masetto and Commendatore (Don Giovanni), to mention only a few. His interpretation of Ferrando in The Troubadour won the adulation of critics: „Geo Chobanov gave an excellent impression as Ferrando with masterful singing technique and stage presence” (Ulyana Karaatanasova, “Culture BG). Also, he is the first Bulgarian artist to perform the role of the Tutor in Count Ory.
In 2022 Geo Chobanov interpreted the role of Surin in the extremely successful production of Tchaikovsky’s Queen of Spades under the direction of Vera Nimirova and conducted by Pavel Balev. The same year at the festive concert of Varna’s Day, he performed the part of Mefistofele, from Gounod’s Faust. His most recent 2022 performance was the part of Dr. Bartolo in The Barber of Sevillia.
A special place in his heart is occupied by Russian romance. His preferences in this genre are the works by Tchaikovsky, Glinka, Mussorgsky. He enjoys organizing and performing in numerous chamber concerts, recitals, and soirees such as “Opera and wine.”
