Violina Anguelov* - mezzo-soprano was born on 09.04.1972 in Shumen Bulgaria.Violina sang in the local children’s choir- Bodra Pesen from 1979 until 1989. In 1986 she was accepted into Music High School, where she studied singing and piano. In 1990 she began her studies at the Academy of Musical and Dance Arts in Plovdiv-Bulgaria, with singing teacher Elena Baldzhieva.

In 1992 Violina and her husband came to South Africa. In 1995 Violina began a Performers Diploma in Opera at the University of Cape Town under the direction of her singing teacher, Sarita Stern and Professor Angelo Gobbato. In 1996 Violina took part in a Master Class by Gerda Hartman and later Master Class by Dorte Reisener, on Alcina by Handel where she sang the role of Bradamante.

Violina sang in the Deon van der Walt master class in August 1997, as well as the Cape Town Youth Music Festival. Same year she won Adcock Ingram Music Prize and was a finalist in Oude Meester Music Prize Competition. Violina received Leonard Hall Memorial Prize for the most promising student of 1997.

In 1998 Violina was invited as a soloist in the Cape Town Philharmonia Choir performance of Handel's Messiah, conducted by Doctor Donald Hunt. She joined the Cape Town Opera Studio for two years. During that time Violina sang the role of Mother Marie in the UCT/Cape Town Opera production of The Dialogues of the Carmelites. She graduated with distinction in Singing and Opera Workshop and was awarded a diploma with distinction at the end of 1998, as well as the Eric Chisholm Prize for excellence and was included in the Dean’s Merit List.

In 1999 Violina commenced her second year in the Cape Town Opera Studio and her Post Gradued Degree in Bachelor of Music (Honours). She made her professional operatic debut in the role of Cherubino in the Cape Town Opera production of The Marriage of Figaro and later Hänsel from Hänsel und Gretel.

In 1999, Violina performed in the Madarsky Konnik Music Festival in Shumen - Bulgaria with the Shumen Philharmonic Orchestra. Later in the year she performed St. Theresa Mass- Haydn and Mozart Requiem for St George’s Cathedral Cape Town, as well as Stabat Mater-Pergolesi and in November sang the one of the Maids in a concert performance of Electra by R. Strauss.

In February year 2000 Violina sang Rosina from The Barber of Seville by Rossini at Spier Amphitheatre Cape Town. In May she sang the mezzo-soprano part in Easter Oratorio - Bach for St. George’s Cathedral Cape Town. In April she performed Elisetta from Il Matrmonio Segreto by Cimarosa at Pretoria State Theatre. Violina made her European debut with a great success in Hanover Germany singing Dorabella in Cosi fan Tutte by Mozart. In October she performed Zerlina from Don Giovanni by Mozart at Cape Town Opera. In November she sang Dorabella in Potsdam-Germany. In December Violina completed her Post Graduate Honours Degree in Music with First Class at Cape Town University.

In March 2001 Violina appeared in The Dream of Gerontius by Elgar with Cape Town Philharmonia Choir performed in City Hall- Cape Town. Later in the year she sang the mezzo-soprano part in Handel's Messiah for The Port Elizabeth Oratorio Choir and Eastern Cape Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Richard Cock.

In 2002 Violina performed Second Lady from Magic Flute by Mozart at Spier Amphitheatre; Idamante from Idomeneo by Mozart at Oude Libertas Amphitheatre-Cape Town; Lola from Cavalleria Rusticana by Leoncavallo and Rosina from The Barber of Seville by Rossini at Cape Town Opera, as well as Handel’s Messiah and St Johannes Passion- Bach with Johannesburg Philharmonia Choir.

In 2003 she sang Fenena from Nabucco by Verdi, Siebel from Faust by Gounod and Marguerite from La Damnation de Faust by Berlioz at Cape Town Opera. She also sang St. Marie from L’Enfance du Christ by Berlioz with Cape Town Philharmonia Choir as well as Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis in Johannesburg.

In 2004 Violina performed the one character one act opera Dark sonnet by Erik Chisholm in 100 years celebration of composer’s birth; Ruggiero from Alcina by Handel; Bersi from Andrea Chenier by Giordano, as well as Mozart Requiem for The Philharmonia Choir of Cape Town in the City Hall. In September 2004 Violina was invited by Maestro Justus Frantz with The Philharmonia of the Nations to sing the mezzo-soprano part in Beethoven’s 9^th Symphony in the City Hall-Durban-South Africa.

In January 2005 Violina sang the role of Prince Orlofski from Die Fledermaus at Cape Town Opera. In March she performed St .Matthew Passion by Bach with Johannesburg Philharmonia Choir. In April she sang the mezzo-soprano part in Pauken Mass- Haydn for St. Gorge’s Cathedral- Cape Town, conducted by Dr. Barry Smith and was invited to repeat her role of Fenena in the revival of Cape Town Operas production of Nabucco by Verdi. She also sang the role of Cherubino form Le Nozze di Figaro- Mozart for Pro Musica Opera- Roodepoort conducted by Weiss Doubell. In August the same year Violina sang in Elijah- Mendelssohn, for Stellenbosch Libertas Choir conducted by Johan De Villiers performed in Endler Hall- Stellenbosch.

In February 2006 Violina sang the Third Wood-nymph in the opera Rusalka- Dvořak in Baxter Theatre- Cape Town. This production was collaboration between Cape Town Opera and Norrlands Operan- Umeå- Sweden. The same production was later performed in Umeå- Sweden where Violina also took part. In March the same year Violina was invited to give a Recital of Russian repertoire for the Russian Fest which took part in the Odeion Concert Hall in Bloemfontein. She was accompanied by Albie van Schalkwyk (piano). Later in the year she returned to Bloemfontein to sing in the Mozart Requiem conducted by Chris Dowdeswell.

In October the same year Violina was invited by Opera Africa to sing the role of Romeo in I Capuleti e I Monttechi- Bellini, which was performed in Pretoria State Theatre. In November she sang once again the mezzo-soprano part in Elijah- Mendelssohn for the 10^th Anniversary of the World Symphony Programme Series in City Hall- Durban.

In August 2007 Violina was once again invited by Stellenbosch Libertas Choir to sing the mezzo-soprano part in Verdi’s Requiem conducted by Johan De Villiers and performed in Endler Hall- Stellenbosch. In September and October she sang the Third Lady Mozart’s Magic Flute a production directed by William Kentridge. This production was performed in Cape Town Opera House and Civic Theatre Johannesburg.

Violina has a vast song repertoire and has appeared often on the concert stage. She regularly performs for Songmakers’ Guild. Her song repertoire varies from lieder to cabaret and sings in Italian, French, German, English, Bulgarian, Russian, Czech, Polish, Afrikaans, Flemish and Spanish.

Violina sacred repertoire includes works such as: Coronation Mass by Mozart, Stabat Mater by Pergolesi, Gloria by Vivaldi, St. Theresa Mass by Haydn, Mozart’s Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s Easter Oratorio, St. Matthews Passion and St. Johannes Passion, The Dream of Gerontius by Elgar, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis and 9^th Symphony, L’Enfance du Christ by Berlioz, Elijah by Mendelssohn, Requiem by Verdi. She has worked with conductors such as: Doctor Barry Smith, Arnold Bosman, Chris Dowdeswell, Doctor Donald Hunt, Richard Cock and Kamal Khan.

Violina took part in the CD "El Tango en Africa" with Cape Town Tango Ensemble; the CD was released in May 2003.

VViolina released the highly successful CD "OPERA deLight" with the group Belle Vocii n March 2008.