Coppia Iniqua - Anna Bolena Contest - Leyla Gencer

[erginakif]

Never heard this performed so slowly.

[OLIVCHEN77]

very gencer - but who cares- she had the sacro fuoco

[jovi1715]

Ma chi è quel cane del direttore?

[iubanne]

cosa non ti piace? anche la Leyla un pò superficiale qui.....ma sempre grandissima. mamma

[floridante2k]

Leyla gencer

[BEVER29]

Non là c'est vraiment trop tard! ah le souffle!!!

[1955etienne]

wonderful voice and dramatic engagement! but the sound engineer must be killed: the soudn is horrible for a document from 70 th!

[goghwatch]

come the F-- on. how many of you haters are prof. dramatic sopranos with acclaimed performances and recordings under your belt? none? ok, well then, how many of you are at least professional singers (i.e., *pay all your bills* with income earned off the beauty of your voice)? oh ok... well how many of you are prof critics then? ok, then would you just chill out: this was the shit!!! i'm singing AB in a month, and if mine is half as good as m. gencer, then trust -- it will be the SHIT too!

[leonardovittori1]

Wobble, wobble, glottal glotta, she sounds like a turkey gobbling.. No trills in the ascending line.. kinda of a requirement for this role... As Callas said, if you cannot sing the last act and well to an opera, don;t do it as that is the impression you leave the audience with. Gencer has never with her pitch and technique issues been one of my favorits.. I would rate her 1-1.. and.. why again is Callas left out of this contest?

[sezgin86]

@leonardovittori1 If you look at the date of the recording you'll see that she is at the end of a very long career and she apparantly has a cold here! Some sya that her Anna Bolena is even superior to Callas'. I hope this makes a sense!

[troppofiato]

The conductor seems determined to not give her the tempo she needed!

[ilGiacinto]

Peccato per l'intonazione precaria ma credo che qui la Gencer fosse già grande!

[TheChiambretti]

Una delle ultime Primedonne della lirica ci ha lasciato. Grazie per tutto quello che ci hai regalato.

[Zva26]

Let me set the record straight. There is no written top E flat written for the end of this scene, which ends the opera. Sills, however, in her commercial recording, adds lots of high options in places, and she most emphatically takes a top E flat at the end of this scene. It makes an impact, though I prefer the B flat with the downward resolution to E flat. I respect Gencer - her's is the closest to Callas in terms of dramatic impact. A few though her to be superior, but I don't think so.

[vully70]

Those who criticise this performance, please remember that Gencer was 50 years old at the time of this recording.

There is another recording on youtube from 1965 wich is not only impressive but overwhelming.

[iWalkure]

i agree and also she had a cold here - she is doing great job with all circumstances around her age and cold. I remember I heard Carol Vanness in this role and she was awefull - I could not even recognize some of the arias in the opera - she was so off.

[Marroiamaxu]

It's so funny, seeing those sopranos from Callas's time trying to do all the 'gimickies that for Callas was so natural and true, but for them is so fake and pathetic...moving one arm here, hands there, making faces etc....

It's so sad..

[Faust075]

True ! And this is sad because Gencer was a great soprano but like Renata scotto, she was obsessed and "haunted" by Callas instead of trying to be herself which was already not so bad at all.

[hypnotizeed]

I think that Sills takes the high E in one version, but not on her legendary recording of this opera..

[primohomme]

But she AVOIDS the low Bb's, which are actually written and do have dramatic purpose.

[iosonmedea]

Give us a break, primohomme! If we were to count all the notes that singers avoid, we would be left with very few to listen to. Your comments are silly.

[primohomme]

Actually, Sills does sing the low Bb in her recording of the full opera. In other recording (like in that of "The best of") she avoids it. If a singer has to avoid a written note, then they shouldn't be singing that role.

[iosonmedea]

It is also true that if somebody knows very little about music, they should refrain from posting stupid comments.

[primohomme]

And what the fuck do you know about music? Get off my dick, bitch.

[uzytkownik1971]

LOL.Primohomme is typical idiot,fanatic and psychopath-il vedovo di Callas who can only offense other people with different opinions.Primohomme,you are pathetic vocal ignorant and stop give such insulties because you have no right to offense and you are simply silly!!!!!!!!!!!!

[leonardovittori1]

@uzytkownik1971 Oh no he is not.. He is a very educated and talented Young man who has forgotten more about music than you have ever learned.

[poupounakis]

my friend you think that the high E make the difference in this aria???? listen her passion voice her dramatico voice.........

[hwhap13]

What about avoiding that final E?!

[TheRealAngelHeart]

Whcih high E? Never heard any soprano do it, and it is not in Donizetti's score. He never wrote any E or E flat at that for any soprano role.

[sarastro71]

Tacete tacete cessate cessate!!!!!Grande Leyla anche per l'intonazione.

[elizabeteph]

o.o''

[suliotis5]

Addio Grandissima regina !!! Non ti dimenticherò mai

[FraSarn]

Condivido con te il dolore per la perdita della grandissima Leyla Gencer. Hai ascoltato la sua interpretazione della scena della pazzia di Lucia? Semplicemente divina. C'e' poi anche un'altra sua (fra le innumerevoli) immensa interpretazione come Lady Macbeth. Che grinta, che coinvolgimento quella donna! Divina, indimenticabile. Ciao. Francesco

[lungdoc]

In this particular aria, I believe Sills had no rival.

[512gontran]

Gencer had enormous vocal defects as well as exceptional qualities. As a whole she'll remain one of the most interesting opera singer since Callas.

I love you, Leyla, R.I.P.

[gmmix]

IN HER PRIME, Gencer ranked among the greatest sopranos of the 20th century. Like Marisa Galvany, she could sing virtually anythng--and sing it well. There's a Traviata from early in her career in which her coloratura bits are nothing less than dazzling. The first time I heard this pirated recording I couldn't believe my ears.

In her day, Gencer had many rivals but few equals. Believe it or not.....

[iriisblue]

Gencer was an exceptional artist, although this doesn't represent her very well. As others noted, it's late in her career, and she's overparted. The intensity and fullness of voice are there and, unlike Serra (a "coloratura") she actually has a go at the trills. Go Leyla.

[opera1dan2]

Not bad! Gencer's interpretation of this role always reminds me a bit of Callas' Just in terms of speed, lack of unnecessary coloratura and a similar style. Callas still the best for me though for this aria. 4/4

[robertdonkers]

Leyla Gencer, one of my all time fav sopranos. Yes, in the twilight years of her career during this recording. But just listen to the intensity behind the singing. Fantastic!

[KaminaOne]

This is Leyla Gencer at a very late point in her career. She's clearly out of element here. The passaggio a bit cloudy, etc. BUT if you get the chance to hear her earlier recordings (Opera d'Oro put one out of varios bel canto selections) you'll definitely be in for a treat. Talk about a fiery dramatic coloratura!

[artdanks]

What is it with your choices of Bolenas for this contest??? They are ALL TERRIBLE!!!!

[sevoflurane]

I beg your pardon? If you don't appreciate the hard work coloraturafan has been doing, why not upload you own clips? So we shall be able to comment on your choice!

[AlexiouValenti]

That is so unfair!!! Most of these singers are fantastic so if you don not appreciate them then please kindly refrain from writing rubbish!!!

[magicflute3]

A great artist: my vote is 4/5

[lucluc1000]

leontyne2, I agree with you. Brava Turca!!!

[fleville]

La soprano Leyla Gencer de desastrozo desempeño tiene amargos accidentes y aberraciones vocales.

disgustado, Fleville

[lucluc1000]

Le he escrito a leontyne2, no a Ud. No me importa su opinión, en lo más mínimo.

[fazendasantoexpedito]

Pobre Fleville. Si estás tan disgustado te aconsejo que escuches a la Tebaldi en Giocanda. Está con la voz muy fresca. También podrías probar con la Fedora de Nápoles.

[fleville]

No se a que viene nombrar a una de las grandes (Tebaldi) acà estamos debatiendo sobre Leyla Gencer que serìa una especie de pordiosera una mendiga de la opera.

[micioamilano]

Respeto tu opinion como tal, pero, me parece que exageras un poco dando della mendiga de la opera a la senora Gencer..personalmente no me gusta como canta pero si ha llegado ha tener el nombre que tuvo algun motivo debe de haber. Creo que sea una de esas cantantes que habia que escucharla en un teatro y no en una grabacion..lastimosamente yo no tuve esa dicha!

[fleville]

Muy importante destacar las vibrantes Giocondas cantadas por la gran Tebaldi, dejò una marca difìcil de alcanzar en la historia de la opera por ser la mas grande Gioconda y habiendola debutado en el momento justo (y con 25 años de carrera) y en impresionante poderìo vocal.Tambien es bueno recordad que Crespin (ademas de que NUNCA cantò un lindo LA, y SIb) a solo 5 años de su carrera internacional estaba tronada

[Rossalita]

She whas great!

[leontyne2]

This video is more exciting than the entire 2007 season at the Metropolitan Opera. O that opera could be what it used to be---exciting by star singers instead of boring by TV divas and movie directors!

dg

[moreno2394]

0/0,5

Vocally emetic

[bylizard]

and you are in mentally strain. You are greek aren't you??

[maurydannato]

5/5. I don't care that she's utterly past prime. She's the Gench. Points are awarded for past glory.

[operabuff1]

A very interesting document of a great singer, unfortunately past her prime.

But she undoubtedly was a very great and exciting singer, very versatile and with a big repertoire. And her Donizetti interpretations were much superior to those of "whisper soprano" Riciarelli!

I really don`t understand the Gencer bashers - where is there such a dramatic coloratura today?! Certainly NOT Netrebko!!

[CzarDodon]

This is no representation of Gencer at her prime, it's at least ten years too late. Not having achieved international recording stardom she was condemned to a provincial end to her career. She did sometimes go over the top hear her Venice Medea or some pages of her Lucrezia Borgia in Florence (I think it was there), especially using her own rather peculiar brand of chest note. But she is worthy of the utmost respect

[tamerlano]

Gencer did some exciting and often eloquent singing -- she was never a prima diva ala Tebaldi -- here she sounds worn and blowsy -- 1/5

[trepicioni]

1/2

[samkr2007]

Maybe she is past her prime here... still with volume and range but her vibrato sounds wobbly to me and some notes a little flat. But probably sounded well live, not so well recorded here.

[javierdetelleria]

Brava Leyla

4/5

[moreno2394]

0/1

[CoordOperaRio]

What a GREAT surprise to see this video...GREAT GREAT GENCER. One of the great ones, shamefully ignored by big recording companies!

[moreno2394]

What do you intend to do with your idiotic post ?Do you think people is stupid or are you ingenue ?What recording company would have been into an agreement with an amateur ?Gencer place was that, 3rd rate nearly an amateur

[martafloria]

I think that there is areason why they ignored her!! She is a not a bad singer but not a good one either!!! Her interpretations are a little boring for my taste!! Also why is she wearing a pink dress? Is this a concert performance or is it on stage!! Not very good anyway!!

[BeauTenor]

I think this was a big Gala for the '78 season at San Francisco Opera. Kurt Adler was still in charge then, and you could HARDLY accuse someone like him of not knowing great singing when he heard it.

[mrrk]

Well past her best. 2/2

[Orfeus80]

Tacete! Cessate!

[lucluc1000]

Moreno: you're vulgar and very pathetic. I don't understand why you insult!!!! I repeat it in spanish...Ud es vulgar y muy patetico. No entiendo por que insulta!!!! Entiendo que a Ud. pueda no gustarle Gencer...pero no tiene derecho a tratar mal e insultar a aquellos que opinamos diferente. Habria mucho que decir de sus modales, los cuales dejan mucho que desear.

[BeauTenor]

Gencer was wonderful in her prime. Not so much here, but at the very end of her career she still does some wonderful things. It's very dramatic; the way it should be. 4/3.5

[moreno2394]

English is not my mother language, do you speak spanish ? Gencer was wonderful ?You are an idiot, you know NOTHING about singing, Gencer did everything singer must NO do and her instrument was VERY mediocre a piece of shit.You are pathetic Beautenor why don't you go screw yourself , fucking ignorant

[BeauTenor]

hehehe...see? so easy to bait you into that. The only one ignorant here is you. you come in, bash a great singer, say tebaldi was great, and we all laugh at your expense and talk about what a silly little person you are. and as for language, no one said anything about your command of english. moron.

[moreno2394]

My english is not perfect but it is ok.And your spanish ? Idiot, ignorant.You say I bash a great singer.What great singer ? Gencer is among the worst sopranos ever.Tu sabes hablar español lo mismo que sabes de canto, ignorante.Por que no te vas al carajo ?Forro !

[BeauTenor]

I don't need to speak spanish to recognize a moron. NO ONE said anything about your command of English but YOU. I would never pretend to understand anything in spanish, and to insult someone in spanish they don't understand is juvenile and cowardly. Your insults don't make Gencer any less great. They only make you look stupid and low class.

[moreno2394]

Gencer makes herself a disaster by herself.She does not sing , she barks, she was only second rate singer because she was Gavazzeni's lover, if not she would have been third rate, 4th rate.She a truly female dog

[moreno2394]

"She does wonderful things, It's very dramatic, the way it should be".That's why she did a mjor career on discs, at the Metropolitan, at LaScala (where she was only second donna even being Gavazzeni's lover she could not be a star NEVER, because her disastrous voice and her horrible stage persona !)You are a poor idiot.Gencer is trash, the antisinger and her voice was mierda.

[VivaMariaCallas]

You know, the way you communicate gives me the impression that you, deep down, actually find something attractive about Gencer. You're just afraid to admit it to yourself, & you try to drown it by trying to convince yourself & others (in language void of class) that Gencer is 'trash'. Or perhaps I'm hallucinating.

If I am hallucinating, I want to tell you something: normal people usually don't bother with things they don't like. Try to be normal. Please.

[VivaMariaCallas]

Obviously, since this was sung late in her career, the voice is a shadow of what it was. The coloratura is somewhat faked. Still, I prefer this to most other Anna Bolenas, for it is superb dramatically. Her earlier performances of this are great. 1965 performance can be found on YouTube....

[gvjps123]

Gencer is past her best here but sounds better than I expected. She has a strong grasp of the style. 3/3.5

[erik760]

please it's recorded 1978...!!.....listen too her Maria Stuarda -67 or Belisario -69 -71, and then we can talk of first class Donizetti interpretation....

[fiesco75]

A great dramatic interpretation. 3.5/5.

[rawdonqueen]

I hear the remnants of an important voice and she is still exciting. 4/4

[Amphipolis]

The best of all!

[hotazzoperastud]

If this were the only thing I had ever heard of Gencer, I would think this was pretty bad. However, there are some aspects that peak my interest. Overall, this is a good video of a poor performance, by someone that was way past her best. Reminds me a little of late Callas, she tries and the voice just doesn't respond. 2/3

[sevoflurane]

The dynamics range was one of the precious things in Gencer's singing. Here she finds it difficult to modulate her voice and she has to smoothe the coloratura. BUT... she is always Gencer, one of those artists that will be able to shine even if they whisper. 3/4

[moreno2394]

Precious things in Gencer's singing ? Have you no shame ?Gencer was one of the worst singers ever existed, she was the queen of singing false notes, she did everything a singer must never do and her voice could not be forgiven, an ill voice, rubblish

[sevoflurane]

Dear moreno2394, if you do not appreciate Gencer's singing nobody forces you to look at her clips. I do not understand the reason for replying to me with negative remarks and waste my time.

[ezayitas]

And you´re the one of the stupidiest ever existed. You´re making the ridiculous with your stupid comment.

[moreno2394]

You think you know something about singing if you think Gencer is a good singer.You are an ignorant and an idiot too

[ezayitas]

Aparently and again... the rest of the world is wrong, right?... you´re the ONLY one right... yeah right... PEEHEAD!

[moreno2394]

In the times Gencer sang the rest of the world placed her where she deserved, a second rate singer a mediocre singer who sang mostly with second rate casts, being second donna even of ordinary sopranos of her time as Ligabue, Stella, etc.Singing in provincial theater mostly, never being allowed to make a recording, etc, etc, etc

[ezayitas]

That´s why people remember.. cause she was such a bad singer, right?... you´re so full of shit.

[moreno2394]

Yes she was one of the most pathetic singers ever.

[ezayitas]

Like you before the eyes of all youtube fans. Que Pendejo!

[BeauTenor]

Uh huh...same old crap. You come in and belittle the greatest singers that ever lived (most of whom you lie about and say you have seen live), and put dear Renata on a pedestal. She would SO not approve. Let's hear YOU sing. Talk about pathetic.

[BeauTenor]

Blah blah blah. I suupose you heard her live, like you have ALL these other singers you bash, right? You know NOTHING about voices or singers. As far as you're concerned there has only ever been one singer, and I'm surprised you haven't compared her to Gencer already. The greatness of these singers is so far beyond your pathetic little opinion. Why don't you just lock yourself away with your Tebaldi recordings and leave us in peace.

[patjan92]

Really impressed with the diction and the overall characterization. 3/5

[Orfeus80]

Vocally, obviously not what she used to be but still a priceless document. Despite the arm stretching, her phrasing shows she knows what she's talking about. 3/4

[moreno2394]

What she used to be ? Gencer was one of the worst singers ever existed, she was the queen of falsetto, she did everything a singer must NO do and her voice was rubbish

[ezayitas]

Obviously the rest of the world is wrong. You are the only one right.