About
Baritone Krassen Karagiozov was born in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, where he began his musical studies as a pianist. In addition to concert work as a collaborative pianist in Bulgaria, Turkey, and USA he appeared as baritone soloist for a recital and recordings for the Bulgarian National Radio.
During the 2008 – 2009 season, he made his debut as a member of Opera San José‘s resident principal artists, appearing in the title role of Eugene Onegin, Sgt. Belcore (The Elixir of Love), Guglielmo (Così fan tutte) and Escamillo (Carmen).
Among the roles that he has performed are Papageno, Conte di Luna, Enrico, Germont, Marcello, Vallentin, Figaro, Sharpless, Vronsky, Count Almaviva, Dandini, Don Giovanni, Tarquinius, Silvio, Schaunard, Lescaut, Masetto, Gianni Schicchi, Harlequin, Peter, Daniello, Angelotti, Rambaldo, Raoul de Gardefeu.
Mr. Karagiozov has appeared with opera companies such as New York City Opera, Caramoor Festival, Opera San José, Opera Carolina, Opera Santa Barbara, Lake George Opera Festival, Spoleto Opera Festival, Aspen Opera Theater, West Bay Opera, Hawaii Performing Arts Festival, The Opera Company of North Carolina, Opera Roanoke, Piedmont Opera Theater and Capital Opera Raleigh.
He has also appeared as a soloist for the Fresno Community Chorus and Orchestra, Santa Clara Chorale, Symphony Silicon Valley, the Bulgarian Radio-Symphony Orchestra, the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra, Carolina Chamber Symphony, Winston-Salem Symphony Orchestra, and Enid Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Karagiozov is a North Carolina district winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and First Prize winner of the Charlotte Opera Guild Competition as well as a finalist of the Irene Dalis Vocal Competition and Heinz Rehfuss Vocal Competition.