Stoyanka Savova Nikolova (), best known by her stage name Elena Nicolai () (24 January 1905 – 24 October 1993), was a Bulgarian operatic mezzo-soprano. Early life and training Nicolai was born in the village of Tzerovo, Pazardzhik, Bulgaria. She spent her childhood in another Bulgarian town, Panagurishte. At the age of 19, she moved to Milan to study opera, first with Vincenzo Pintorno and later with Ettore Pozzoli. Operatic career She made her operatic debut as Maddalena in Verdi's Rigoletto in 1932. She spent 20 seasons as a leading mezzo-soprano at Milan's Teatro alla Scala. After her retirement from opera, she became an actress and had a short film career, starring in seven movies in the period between 1963-68. She recorded complete operas for RAI and EMI: Eboli in Don Carlos with Antonietta Stella, Boris Christoff, and Tito Gobbi stands out among the others, which include the Grand Vestale in La vestale and Cuniza in Oberto, both with Maria Vitale, Santuzza in Cavalleria rusticana with Mario del Monaco, the Principessa in Adriana Lecouvreur with Mafalda Favero, and Preziosilla in La forza del destino with Callas. She sang Wagnerian roles, including Brünnhilde in Die Walküre at the Verona Arena, according to her interview with Lanfranco Rasponi in his book, The Last Prima Donnas. Roles sung Annina, Der Rosenkavalier Laura, La Gioconda (opera) La Cieca, La Gioconda (opera) Nefte, Il figliuol prodigo (List of operas by Ponchielli) Principessa di Bouillon, Adriana Lecouvreur (opera) Rubria, Nerone (Boito) Ortrud, Lohengrin (opera) Dalila, Samson and Delilah (opera) Brunnhilde, Die Walkure Amneris, Aida Eboli, Don Carlo Azucena, Il Trovatore Adalgisa, Norma Leonora, La Favorita Carmen, Carmen Brangaene, Tristan und Isolde Santuzza, Cavalleria Rusticana Fedora, Fedora Klytaemnestra, Elektra Recordings Monteverdi - L'Orfeo (Silvia, 1939) conducted by Ferrucio Calusio, Italian HMV Cilea - Adriana Lecouvreur (Principessa di Bouillon, 1949) conducted by Federico Del Cupolo, Colosseum Mascagni - Cavalleria rusticana (Santuzza, 1953) conducted by Franco Ghione, Decca Verdi - Don Carlo (Principessa d'Eboli, 1954) conducted by Gabriele Santini, HMV/EMI Verdi - La forza del destino (Preziosilla, 1954) conducted by Tullio Serafin, Columbia/EMI Films Il boom, directed by Vittorio De Sica (1963) La mia signora (episode "I miei cari," directed by Mauro Bolognini) (1964) Sedotti e bidonati, directed by Giorgio Bianchi (1964) Gli amanti latini (episode "L'irreparabile," directed by Mario Costa) (1965) I nostri mariti (episode "Il marito di Roberta," directed by Luigi Filippo D'Amico) (1966) Quando dico che