 He studied painting at the Academy of Arts in Sofia, and later voice at the school of the National Opera of Sofia, with Christo Brambarov.He made his stage debut with that company, as Timur in "Turandot", in 1960.In 1965, with the Sofia Opera, he toured Germany, the Netherlands and France, and made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera of New York, as Ramfis in "Aida", quickly followed by King Philip II in "Don Carlo", and the title role in "Boris Godunov".