Leyla Gencer (Turkish pronunciation: [lej?la ?en?d?e?]), or Ay?e Leyla Çeyrekgil (October 10, 1928 – May 10, 2008) was a world-renowned Turkish operatic soprano.Known as "La Diva Turca" (The Turkish Diva) and "La Regina" (The Queen) in the opera world, Gencer was a notable bel canto soprano who spent most of her career in Italy, from the early 1950s through the mid-1980s, and had a repertoire encompassing more than seventy roles. She made very few commercial recordings; however, numerous bootleg recordings of her performances exist. In particular, Gencer was associated with the heroines of Donizetti.
You must always seek to adapt the voice to the score. The voice must not be of one color alone. It must be like an artist's palette and have many colors. You cannot sing Lucia and Forza with the same voice. They have different ranges of color, they express different sentiments. You must find the right expression and the right color. When I began to sing the more dramatic operas, my voice became thicker, the color more burnished and perhaps also more interesting.
2
Harmony teaches you something - not to read only the melody but to read everything - the orchestra as well. And so if you are a student, if you know harmony, you can also read the part of the orchestra, which will help you very much in your expression. It's a great help because one hears how the part he is to sing is constructed.
3
Yes, I am severe. But I've grown a little sweeter with age-I think. Still, I say things I shouldn't, yet I say them. It's not a good idea, it doesn't help things. I should be more diplomatic, more false. I'm not like that. At my age, I can't change, can I?
4
I actually cried on stage. Once in a while a note would issue forth that was not orthodox. That's why the American critics don't like me. But I don't care. They want a music with water and soap.
$5 Million
