Ayşe Leyla Gencer (, née Çeyrekgil; 10 October 192810 May 2008) was a Turkish

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...

tic

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880& ...

. Gencer was a notable ''

bel canto Bel canto (Italian for "beautiful singing" or "beautiful song", )—with several similar constructions (''bellezze del canto'', ''bell'arte del canto'')—is a term with several meanings that relate to Italian singing. The phrase was not associat ...

'' soprano who spent most of her career in

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

, 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 recording A bootleg recording is an audio or video recording of a performance not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. Making and distributing such recordings is known as ''bootlegging''. Recordings may be copied and trade ...

s of her performances exist. She was particularly associated with the heroines of Donizetti.

Early life

Leyla Gencer was born in Polonezköy (near

Istanbul ) , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = 34000 to 34990 , area_code = +90 212 (European side) +90 216 (Asian side) , registration_plate = 34 , blank_name_sec2 = GeoTLD , blank_i ...

) to a Turkish father and a Polish mother. Her father, Hasanzade İbrahim Bey (who took the surname ''Çeyrekgil'' under the

Surname Law Surname law can refer to any law regulating the use of surnames. Canada From 1941 to 1978, the Government of Canada issued disc numbers to identify Inuit in their records. In the mid-1960s Project Surname began, and, headed by Abe Okpik, Inuit ...

of 1934), was a wealthy businessman, whose family was from the city of

Safranbolu Safranbolu () is a town and district of Karabük Province in the Black Sea region of Turkey. It is about 9 km north of the city of Karabük, north of Ankara and about 100 km south of the Black Sea coast. The town's historic names in G ...

. Her mother, Lexanda Angela Minakovska, was from a Roman Catholic family of the Lithuanian aristocracy (she later converted to

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the ...

and chose the name ''Atiye'' after her husband's death.) Gencer's father died when she was very young. She grew up in the Çubuklu neighbourhood of Istanbul, on the

Anatolia Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...

n side of the

Bosphorus The Bosporus Strait (; grc, Βόσπορος ; tr, İstanbul Boğazı 'Istanbul strait', colloquially ''Boğaz'') or Bosphorus Strait is a natural strait and an internationally significant waterway located in Istanbul in northwestern Tu ...

strait. In 1946, she married İbrahim Gencer, a banker related to the influential İpekçi family.

Education and early career

She began to study singing at the Istanbul Conservatory but dropped out to study privately in

Ankara Ankara ( , ; ), historically known as Ancyra and Angora, is the capital of Turkey. Located in the central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5.1 million in its urban center and over 5.7 million in Ankara Province, maki ...

with her teacher the Italian soprano Giannina Arangi-Lombardi. After Arangi-Lombardi's death, Gencer continued her studies with the Italian baritone Apollo Granforte. She sang in the chorus of the Turkish State Theater until 1950, when she made her operatic debut in Ankara, as Santuzza in ''

Cavalleria Rusticana ''Cavalleria rusticana'' (; Italian for "rustic chivalry") is an opera in one act by Pietro Mascagni to an Italian libretto by Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti and Guido Menasci, adapted from an 1880 short story of the same name and subsequent play ...

''. During the next few years, she became well known in Turkey and sang frequently at functions for the Turkish government.

Career in Italy

In 1953, Gencer made her Italian debut at the

Teatro di San Carlo The Real Teatro di San Carlo ("Royal Theatre of Saint Charles"), as originally named by the Bourbon monarchy but today known simply as the Teatro (di) San Carlo, is an opera house in Naples, Italy, connected to the Royal Palace and adjacent ...

Naples Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adm ...

as Santuzza. She returned to Naples the following year for performances of ''

Madama Butterfly ''Madama Butterfly'' (; ''Madame Butterfly'') is an opera in three acts (originally two) by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It is based on the short story " Madame Butterfly" (1898) by John Lu ...

'' and ''

Eugene Onegin ''Eugene Onegin, A Novel in Verse'' (Reforms of Russian orthography, pre-reform Russian: ; post-reform rus, Евгений Оне́гин, ромáн в стихáх, p=jɪvˈɡʲenʲɪj ɐˈnʲeɡʲɪn, r=Yevgeniy Onegin, roman v stikhakh) is ...

''. In 1957, she made her debut at

La Scala La Scala (, , ; abbreviation in Italian of the official name ) is a famous opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the ' (New Royal-Ducal Theatre alla Scala). The premiere performan ...

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city ...

as Mme. Lidoine in the world premiere of

Poulenc Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc (; 7 January 189930 January 1963) was a French composer and pianist. His compositions include songs, solo piano works, chamber music, choral pieces, operas, ballets, and orchestral concert music. Among the best-kno ...

's ''

Dialogues of the Carmelites ' (''Dialogues of the Carmelites''), FP 159, is an opera in three acts, divided into twelve scenes with linking orchestral interludes, with music and libretto by Francis Poulenc, completed in 1956. The composer's second opera, Poulenc wrote the ...

''. She went on to appear regularly at La Scala, performing nineteen roles between 1957 and 1983 including Leonora in ''

La forza del destino ' (; ''The Power of Fate'', often translated ''The Force of Destiny'') is an Italian opera by Giuseppe Verdi. The libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on a Spanish drama, ' (1835), by Ángel de Saavedra, 3rd Duke of Rivas, wi ...

'', Elisabetta in ''

Don Carlos ''Don Carlos'' is a five-act grand opera composed by Giuseppe Verdi to a French-language libretto by Joseph Méry and Camille du Locle, based on the dramatic play '' Don Carlos, Infant von Spanien'' (''Don Carlos, Infante of Spain'') by Fried ...

'', the title role in ''

Aida ''Aida'' (or ''Aïda'', ) is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. Set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt, it was commissioned by Cairo's Khedivial Opera House and had its première there on 24 Decemb ...

'', Lady Macbeth in ''

Macbeth ''Macbeth'' (, full title ''The Tragedie of Macbeth'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those w ...

'', the title role in '' Norma'', Ottavia in ''

L'incoronazione di Poppea ''L'incoronazione di Poppea'' ( SV 308, ''The Coronation of Poppaea'') is an Italian opera by Claudio Monteverdi. It was Monteverdi's last opera, with a libretto by Giovanni Francesco Busenello, and was first performed at the Teatro Santi Giovanni ...

'' and '' Alceste''. At La Scala, she also appeared as the First Woman of Canterbury in the world premiere of Pizzetti's ''L'assassinio nella cattedrale'' in 1958. In 1960, she toured the

USSR The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nati ...

, singing concerts in

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...

and

Baku Baku (, ; az, Bakı ) is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. Baku is located below sea level, which makes it the lowest lying national capital in the world an ...

. In 1962, she debuted at the

Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal ...

Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist si ...

as Elisabetta di Valois in ''

'' and Donna Anna in ''

Don Giovanni ''Don Giovanni'' (; Köchel catalogue, K. 527; Vienna (1788) title: , literally ''The rake (stock character), Rake Punished, or Don Giovanni'') is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Pon ...

''. Her United States debut had been at the

San Francisco Opera San Francisco Opera (SFO) is an American opera company founded in 1923 by Gaetano Merola (1881–1953) based in San Francisco, California. History Gaetano Merola (1923–1953) Merola's road to prominence in the Bay Area began in 1906 when h ...

in 1956, as Francesca in

Zandonai Riccardo Zandonai (28 May 1883 – 5 June 1944) was an Italian composer. Biography Zandonai was born in Borgo Sacco, Rovereto, then part of Austria-Hungary. As a young man, he showed such an aptitude for music that he entered the Pesaro Conser ...

's ''

Francesca da Rimini Francesca da Rimini or Francesca da Polenta (died between 1283 and 1286) was a medieval noblewoman of Ravenna, who was murdered by her husband, Giovanni Malatesta, upon his discovery of her affair with his brother, Paolo Malatesta. She was a co ...

''. She sang in other American opera houses as well, but never at the

Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera (commonly known as the Met) is an American opera company based in New York City, resident at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, currently situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The company is opera ...

, despite discussions about her being engaged to sing ''

Tosca ''Tosca'' is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It premiered at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome on 14 January 1900. The work, based on Victorien Sardou's 1887 French-language dramati ...

'' there, also in 1956. She sang Chopin's

Polish songs Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken *Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...

in Paris with

Nikita Magaloff Nikita Magaloff (russian: Никита Магалов; 26 December 1992) was a Georgian-Russian pianist. He was born in Saint Petersburg to a Georgian noble family named Maghalashvili. Magaloff and his family left Russia in 1918 for Finland. ...

, a

Liszt Franz Liszt, in modern usage ''Liszt Ferenc'' . Liszt's Hungarian passport spelled his given name as "Ferencz". An orthographic reform of the Hungarian language in 1922 (which was 36 years after Liszt's death) changed the letter "cz" to simpl ...

- Bartók concert at La Scala, and a concert involving 'operas about Turks' in the Venetian carnival at

La Fenice Teatro La Fenice (, "The Phoenix") is an opera house in Venice, Italy. It is one of "the most famous and renowned landmarks in the history of Italian theatre" and in the history of opera as a whole. Especially in the 19th century, La Fenice bec ...

, showing her innovative character as an opera singer. Her last appearance on the operatic stage was in 1985, with ''La Prova di un'opera seria'' at La Fenice. She continued to appear in concerts until 1992. She was still active as of 2007, and had recently been appointed by La Scala's music director

Riccardo Muti Riccardo Muti, (; born 28 July 1941) is an Italian conductor. He currently holds two music directorships, at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and at the Orchestra Giovanile Luigi Cherubini. Muti has previously held posts at the Maggio Musicale ...

to run its school for young artists. Throughout her career, Gencer was particularly well known for her Donizetti, including ''

Belisario ''Belisario'' (''Belisarius'') is a ''tragedia lirica'' (tragic opera) in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. Salvadore Cammarano wrote the Italian libretto after Luigi Marchionni's adaptation of play, ''Belisarius'', first staged in Munich in 182 ...

'', ''

Poliuto ''Poliuto'' is a three-act ''tragedia lirica'' (or tragic opera) by Gaetano Donizetti from the Italian libretto by Salvadore Cammarano, which was based on Pierre Corneille's play ''Polyeucte'' written in 1641–42. It reflected the life of the e ...

'', ''

Anna Bolena ''Anna Bolena'' is a tragic opera (''tragedia lirica'') in two acts composed by Gaetano Donizetti. Felice Romani wrote the Italian libretto after Ippolito Pindemonte's ''Enrico VIII ossia Anna Bolena'' and Alessandro Pepoli's ''Anna Bolena'', bo ...

'', ''

Lucrezia Borgia Lucrezia Borgia (; ca-valencia, Lucrècia Borja, links=no ; 18 April 1480 – 24 June 1519) was a Spanish-Italian noblewoman of the House of Borgia who was the daughter of Pope Alexander VI and Vannozza dei Cattanei. She reigned as the Gover ...

'', ''

Maria Stuarda ''Maria Stuarda'' (Mary Stuart) is a tragic opera (''tragedia lirica''), in two acts, by Gaetano Donizetti, to a libretto by Giuseppe Bardari, based on Andrea Maffei's translation of Friedrich Schiller's 1800 play '' Maria Stuart''. The ope ...

'' and ''

Caterina Cornaro Catherine Cornaro ( el, Αικατερίνη Κορνάρο, vec, Catarina Corner) (25 November 1454 – 10 July 1510) was the last monarch of the Kingdom of Cyprus, also holding the titles of the Queen of Jerusalem and Armenia. She was queen ...

''. Her most acclaimed and best-known performance, though, was the ''

Roberto Devereux ''Roberto Devereux'' (or ''Roberto Devereux, ossia Il conte di Essex'' 'Robert Devereux, or the Earl of Essex'' is a ''tragedia lirica'', or tragic opera, by Gaetano Donizetti. Salvadore Cammarano wrote the Italian libretto after François An ...

'' she sang in Naples in 1964. Aside from ''bel canto'' roles, her repertory included works by such composers as

Prokofiev Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev; alternative transliterations of his name include ''Sergey'' or ''Serge'', and ''Prokofief'', ''Prokofieff'', or ''Prokofyev''., group=n (27 April .S. 15 April1891 – 5 March 1953) was a Russian composer, p ...

Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition r ...

and Puccini. She appeared in many rarely performed operas, including Smareglia's ''La Falena'',

Rossini Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer who gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano pieces, and some sacred music. He set new standards ...

's ''

Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra ''Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra'' (; ''Elizabeth, Queen of England'') is a ''dramma per musica'' or opera in two acts by Gioachino Rossini to a libretto by Giovanni Schmidt, from the play ''Il paggio di Leicester'' (''Leicester's Page'') by Ca ...

'',

Spontini Gaspare Luigi Pacifico Spontini (14 November 177424 January 1851) was an Italian opera composer and conductor from the classical era. Biography Born in Maiolati, Papal State (now Maiolati Spontini, Province of Ancona), he spent most of his ca ...

's ''Agnese di Hohenstaufen'', Pacini's ''Saffo'' and

Gluck Christoph Willibald (Ritter von) Gluck (; 2 July 1714 – 15 November 1787) was a composer of Italian and French opera in the early classical period. Born in the Upper Palatinate and raised in Bohemia, both part of the Holy Roman Empire, he ...

's '' Alceste''. Gencer rose to international stardom in a short time, singing under some of the greatest Italian maestros, such as

Vittorio Gui Vittorio Gui (14 September 188516 October 1975) was an Italian conductor, composer, musicologist and critic. Gui was born in Rome in 1885. He graduated in humanities at the University of Rome and also studied composition at the Accademia Naziona ...

Tullio Serafin Tullio Serafin (1 September 18782 February 1968) was an Italian conductor and former Musical Director at La Scala. Biography Tullio Serafin was a leading Italian opera conductor with a long career and a very broad repertoire who revived many 19t ...

, Gianandrea Gavazzeni, and

. She contributed to the 'Donizetti Renaissance' with her great performances of Donizetti's forgotten operas. Her repertoire consisted of 72 roles, including operas by Monteverdi, Gluck, Mozart, Cherubini, Spontini,

Simon Mayr Johann(es) Simon Mayr (also spelled Majer, Mayer, Maier), also known in Italian as Giovanni Simone Mayr or Simone Mayr (14 June 1763 – 2 December 1845), was a German composer. His music reflects the transition from the Classical to the ...

, Puccini, Prokofiev, Britten, Poulenc, Menotti, and Rocca, encompassing lyric, coloratura, and dramatic soprano roles. Starting in 1982, she dedicated herself to teaching young opera singers. She worked as didactic art director of As.Li.Co. of Milan between 1983–88, and was appointed by Maestro

to run La Scala's School for Young Artists in 1997-1998. As artistic director of the academy for opera artists in

Teatro alla Scala La Scala (, , ; abbreviation in Italian of the official name ) is a famous opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the ' (New Royal-Ducal Theatre alla Scala). The premiere performan ...

, she specialized in teaching operatic interpretation. In 1996, she appeared in

Jan Schmidt-Garre Jan Schmidt-Garre (born 18 June 1962 in Munich), German film director and producer. Life Jan Schmidt-Garre studied philosophy at the Hochschule für Philosophie der Jesuiten in Munich from 1982 to 1986 (M. A. with a semiotic thesis on Wagner's ...

's film ''Opera Fanatic''.

Death

Gencer died on 10 May 2008, aged 79, in Milan. Following her funeral service in San Babila Church and subsequent

cremation Cremation is a method of Disposal of human corpses, final disposition of a Cadaver, dead body through Combustion, burning. Cremation may serve as a funeral or post-funeral rite and as an alternative to burial. In some countries, including India ...

in Milan, her ashes were brought to Istanbul and scattered in the waters of the Bosphorus on May 16, by famous musician

Fazıl Say Fazıl Say (; born 14 January 1970 in Ankara) is a Turkish pianist and composer. Life and career Fazıl Say was born in 1970. His father, Ahmet Say was an author and musicologist. His mother, Gürgün Say was a pharmacist. His grandfather Fa ...

, according to her wish. Ten years after her death, in 2018, the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts commemorated Leyla Gencer with the 9th edition of the Leyla Gencer Voice Competition and an exhibition titled ''Primadonna and Solitude''. In 2019, IKSV commissioned a film, ''Leyla Gencer: La Diva Turca'', written by Zeynep Oral, which was screened at the

Grimeborn Grimeborn is an annual East London musical theatre and opera festival which coincides with the world famous East Sussex Glyndebourne Opera Festival. Founded by Arcola Theatre’s artistic director Mehmet Ergen in 2007, the festival is held a ...

Festival at the Arcola Theatre.

Discography

* Bellini: ''Norma''/1966, de Fabritiis, Gencer, Cossotto, et al. * Bellini: ''Norma''/1965, Gavazzeni, Gencer, Simionato, et al. * Bellini: ''Beatrice di Tenda'' 1964/Gui, Gencer, Zanasi, et al. * Bellini: ''I Puritani'' 1961/Quadri, Gencer, Raimondi, et al. * Pacini: ''Saffo'' 1967/Gencer, Del Bianco, Mattiucci * Cherubini: ''Medea'' 1968/ Gencer, Bottion, et al. * Mayr: ''Medea in Corinto'' 1976/Ferro, Gencer, Johns * Gluck: ''Alceste'' 1967/ Gui, Gencer, Picchi * Chopin: ''

Polish Songs Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken *Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...

'';

/Leyla Gencer, Nikita Magaloff * Donizetti: ''Anna Bolena'' 1958/ Gavazzeni, Gencer, Simionato, et al. * Donizetti: ''Anna Bolena'' 1965/Gavazzeni, Gencer, Cava, et al. * Donizetti: ''Caterina Cornaro'' 1972/Cillario, Gencer, Aragall * Donizetti: ''Les Martyrs''/1975 Camozzo, Gencer, Bruson, et al. * Donizetti: ''Les Martyrs''/1978 Gelmetti, Gencer, Bruson, et al. * Donizetti: ''Lucrezia Borgia''/1970 Gracis, Gencer, Raimondi et al. * Donizetti: ''Lucrezia Borgia''/1966 Franci, Gencer, Aragall, Petri et al. * Donizetti: ''Maria Stuarda''/1967 Molinari-Pradelli, Gencer, Verrett, Tagliavini et al. * Donizetti: ''Messa di Requiem''/Gavazzeni, Teatro La Fenice * Donizetti: ''Roberto Devereux'' 1964/Gencer, Cappuccilli, et al. * Donizetti: ''Belisario'' 1969/Gavazzeni, Gencer, Taddei et al. * Mozart: ''Don Giovanni'' 1960/Molinari-Pradelli, Gencer, Petri, Bruscantini, Stich-Randall et al. * Mozart: ''Don Giovanni'' 1962/Solti, Gencer, Jurinac, Freni *

Ponchielli Amilcare Ponchielli (, ; 31 August 1834 – 16 January 1886) was an Italian opera composer, best known for his opera ''La Gioconda''. He was married to the soprano Teresina Brambilla. Life and work Born in Paderno Fasolaro (now Paderno Ponchiel ...

: ''La Gioconda'' 1971 / de Fabritiis, Gencer, Raimondi *

: ''Dialogues Des Carmélites'' 1957/ Nino Sanzogno conductor, Gencer,

Virginia Zeani Virginia Zeani (born Virginia Zehan; 21 October 1925), Commendatore OMRI is a Romanian-born opera singer who sang leading soprano roles in the opera houses of Europe and North America. As a singer, she was known for her dramatic intensity and ...

Gianna Pederzini Gianna Pederzini (10 February 1900 - 12 March 1988) was an Italian mezzo-soprano. Pederzini was born in Trento. She studied in Naples with Fernando de Lucia, and made her stage debut in Messina, as Preziosilla, in 1923. She sang widely in Ita ...

, et al. (premiere in Italian translation) *

: ''Francesca da Rimini'' 1961 / Capuana, Gencer, Cioni, et al. * Rossini: ''Elisabetta, Regina d'Inghilterra'' 1971/Sanzogno, Gencer, Grilli *

Verdi Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for his operas. He was born near Busseto to a provincial family of moderate means, receiving a musical education with the ...

: ''I due Foscari'' 1957/Serafin, Gencer, Guelfi * Verdi: ''La Battaglia di Legnano'' 1959/ Gencer, Limarilli * Verdi: ''Rigoletto'' 1961/Quadri, Gencer, MacNeil, Raimondi * Verdi: ''Gerusalemme'' 1963/Gavazzeni, Gencer, Aragall, Guelfi * Verdi: ''I Vespri Siciliani'' 1965/Gavazzeni, Gencer, et al. * Verdi: ''Macbeth'' 1960/Gui, Gencer, Taddei, Picchi et al. * Verdi: ''Macbeth'' 1968/Gavazzeni, Gencer, Guelfi, Corradi, et al. * Verdi: ''Attila'' 1972/Silipigni, Gencer, Hines * Verdi: ''Ernani'' 1972/Gavazzeni, Gencer, Bergonzi * Verdi: ''Simon Boccanegra'' 1961/ Gavazzeni, Gobbi, Gencer * Verdi: ''Il Trovatore'' 1957/Previtali, Gencer, Del Monaco, Barbieri, Bastianini * Verdi: ''Un ballo in maschera'' 1961/Gencer, Bergonzi * Verdi: ''Aida'' 1966/ Capuana, Gencer, Bergonzi, Cossotto * Verdi: ''La Forza del Destino'' 1957/Serafin, Gencer, Di Stefano * Verdi: ''La Forza del Destino'' 1965/Molinari Pradelli, Gencer, Bergonzi * Spontini: ''La Vestale'' 1969/Previtali, Gencer, Merolla, Bruson

References

External links

Leyla Gencer biography, performance chronology, discography and videography

Leyla Gencer Voice Competition

Biography with photo gallery

Obituaries

* ''The Independent''

* ''The Guardian'

* ''Times'' ttp://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article3925306.ece Turkish operatic soprano who excelled in bel canto and Verdi roles* ''The New York Times'
Leyla Gencer, Turkish-Born Soprano and a Popular Star of La Scala, Dies
* ''Los Angeles Times'
Turkish soprano thrived in Italy
* ''International Herald Tribune'
Leyla Gencer
* ''Boston Herald'
Soprano Leyla Gencer, known as La Diva Turca, dies in Milan
* ''The Boston Globe'
Leyla Gencer; Turkish soprano made mark on Italian stage
* BB
Turkish soprano Leyla Gencer dies
* ''Turkish Daily News'
Turkish opera diva Leyla Gencer dies
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gencer, Leyla 1928 births 2008 deaths People from Beykoz Liceo Italiano alumni State Artists of Turkey Turkish operatic sopranos Turkish people of Polish descent Turkish Roman Catholics 20th-century Turkish women opera singers

Early life

Education and early career

Career in Italy

Death

Discography

See also

References

External links

Obituaries