What is Boris Christoff?
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}} [[File:Борис Христов. crop.jpg|right|200px]] '''Boris Christoff''' (18 May 1914 – 28 June 1993) was a [[Bulgaria|Bulgarian]] singer. He sang in the [[Bass (vocal range)|bass]] range. Critics thought him to be one of the great acting singers of the 20th century. He sang some 40 roles. His most famous role was Boris Godunov. He also received kudos for his Philip II in [[Verdi]]'s ''[[Don Carlo]]'', and for his Mephistopheles in [[Gounod]]'s ''[[Faust (opera)|Faust]]''. He sang several [[Richard Wagner|Wagnerian]] roles. These included Hagen in ''[[Gotterdammerung]]'' and King Mark in ''[[Tristan und Isolde]]''. Christoff was born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. He sang in the Gusla Choir. King Boris of Bulgaria gave him a private stipend to study in Rome. He studied with Riccardo Stracciari. He also studied in [[Salzburg, Austria]]. After World War II, Christoff lived in Rome. In 1950, he was hired to sing the title role in ''[[Boris Godunov (opera)|Boris Godunov]]'' at [[Covent Garden]]. This became the role he was known for. He sang in the [[United States]]. He never sang at the [[Metropolitan Opera]]. Problems with his [[visa]] made this impossible. ==References== * {{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/06/29/obituaries/boris-christoff-bass-dies-at-79-esteemed-for-his-boris-godunov.html?src=pm |title=Boris Christoff, Bass, Dies at 79; Esteemed for His Boris Godunov |work=New York Times |date=29 June 1993 |access-date=14 October 2013|last1=Kozinn |first1=Allan }} {{DEFAULTSORT:Christoff, Boris}} [[Category:European opera singers]] [[Category:1914 births]] [[Category:1993 deaths]] [[Category:Bulgarian singers]] {{bio-stub}}