Golden Orpheus Explained

Alt Name:	Golden Orpheus International Song Contest
Genre:	Song contest
Developer:	Bulgarian National Television
Italic Title:	no

The Golden Orpheus (Bulgarian: Златният Орфей, Zlatniyat Orfey) was an international vocal competition and song contest, held annually from 1965 to 1999 in Sunny Beach, Bulgaria.^[1] The festival program included a Bulgarian song competition, an international vocal competition and concerts outside the festival's competitive program. The event quickly grew into one of the most prestigious festivals in Eastern Europe during socialism. Among the winners of the vocal competition are Alla Pugacheva and Etta Scollo. Over the years, the festival has featured international pop stars such as Tina Turner and Julio Iglesias as guests. The event has been broadcast on the International Radio and Television Organisation - Intervision network since 1967 with a viewership of nearly 200 million viewers.^[2]

Since the 2010s, instead of the Golden Orpheus, the Discovery pop music festival has been organized in Varna, where performers from around the world perform, including In-Grid and Il Volo.^{[3] [4] [5]}

Selected winners of the Grand Prix

• 1966: Yordanka Hristova (Bulgaria)
• 1971: Maria Pakhomenko (USSR)
• 1974: Lili Ivanova (Bulgaria)
• 1975: Alla Pugachova (USSR)^{[6] [7] [8]}
• 1976: Farah Maria (CUBA)
• 1977: Roza Rymbayeva (USSR)
• 1981: Dagmar Frederic (GDR)
• 1984: Debbie Campbell (USA)
• 1988:Tamara Gverdtsiteli (USSR)^[9]
• 1990: Etta Scollo (Italy)^[10]
• 1992: Henry Winter (Ireland)

Selected first prize winners

• 1968: Marion Rung (Finland)
• 1970: Biser Kirov (Bulgaria)
• 1971: Omara Portuondo (Cuba) and Ben Cramer (The Netherlands), (shared) ^[11]
• 1973: Sofia Rotaru (USSR)
• 1974: Sergei Zakharov (USSR)
• 1974:Nereyda Naranjo (Cuba)
• 1975: Lee Towers (Netherlands)
• 1976: Enzo Gusman (Malta)
• 1979: Albert Asadullin (USSR)
• 1980: Valery Leontiev (USSR)
• 1981:Argelia Fragoso (Cuba)
• 1986: Albita Rodriguez (Cuba)
• 1988:Marusha (Cuba)
• 1992: Henry Winter (Ireland)

Selected second prize winners

• 1969: Yuri Bogatikov (USSR)
• 1975:Elizabeth de Gracia (Cuba)
• 1976: Eugene Martynov (USSR)
• 1992: Philipp Kirkorov (Russia)

Selected third prize winners

• 1968: Joseph Kobzon (USSR)
• 1972: Lev Leshchenko (USSR)
• 1982:Miguel Chávez (Cuba)
• 1984:María de Jesus (Cuba)

Notable interval act performers

• Ornella Vanoni – 1969
• Josephine Baker – 1970
• Gilbert Bécaud – 1971
• Salvatore Adamo - 1972
• Rosita Fornes -1972
• Gianni Morandi - 1973
• Ricchi e Poveri - 1973
• Julio Iglesias - 1973
• Karel Gott – 1974, 1986
• Al Bano and Romina Power – 1975, 1984
• Iva Zanicchi-1976
• Alla Pugacheva - 1976, 1982, 1986, 1995
• Grupo Irakere - 1976.
• Eruption - 1979
• Farah Maria -1981
• Tina Turner - 1982
• Mungo Jerry - 1987
• Paco de Lucía - 1988
• Boney M. - 1990
• Toto Cutugno - 1993
• Boy George - 1994
• La Toya Jackson - 1994
• Demis Roussos - 1995^[12]
• The Temptations - 1995
• Paul Rodgers - 1995
• Alannah Myles - 1996
• 2 Unlimited - 1996
• Philipp Kirkorov - 1998

Notes and References

1. Web site: Достопримечательности Солнечного Берега - Настоящая Болгария . 2024-07-27 . www.bulgariareal.ru.
2. Web site: Концерт с песните на „Златния Орфей” в памет на Генко Генов . 2024-07-27 . bTV Новините . bg.
3. Web site: 2016-05-23 . Шариф стал триумфатором экс-«Золотого Орфея» . 2024-07-27 . www.intermedia.ru . ru.
4. IN-GRID "Discovery Festival" Varna - Bulgaria . 2012-01-15 . ingridalberini . 2024-07-27 . YouTube.
5. Il Volo, Gianluca Ginoble - Can't Help Falling In love (Sofia, Bulgaria 14/07/2022) . 2022-07-22 . vesselotovessy . 2024-07-27 . YouTube.
6. Алла Пугачева - Ты снишься мне (Золотой Орфей, 1975 г.) . 2015-06-04 . Alla Pugacheva Fan Channel . 2024-07-27 . YouTube.
7. Алла Пугачёва получила в 1975 году приз "Золотой Орфей" . 2009-08-17 . A . 2024-07-27 . YouTube.
8. Репортаж Болгарского ТВ о "Золотом орфее" - 1975. . 2010-04-09 . k-ole-99 . 2024-07-27 . YouTube.
9. Музыкальный фестиваль "Золотой Орфей" в Болгарии, с участием Т. Гвердцители. Эфир 20.06.1988 г. . 2018-06-20 . Советское телевидение. ГОСТЕЛЕРАДИОФОНД . 2024-07-27 . YouTube.
10. Web site: 2012-03-24 . Фестиваль "Песня года". Золотой Орфей . 2024-07-27 . web.archive.org.
11. Billboard (10 July 1971) Song Contest is Without 1st Prize Winner
12. Demis Roussos - Forever And Ever (Golden Orpheus, 1995) . 2017-04-26 . Elek Lispas . 2024-07-27 . YouTube.