Leyla Gencer on Maria Callas

Leyla Gencer speaks about the Callas.
She made a funny face when she says "Les autres n'existaient pas" (The others didn't exist). I guess because of Callas, she didn't have the attention she deserved at the beginning of her career.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Leyla
• Gencer
• Maria
• Callas

[TheRealAngelHeart]

Leyla La Regina, speaks very highly of Callas La Divina. I love the end though when she talks about the gift of Gods that Callas had.. and concludes "I think I have it too!"

Brava Gencer, brava Callas!

[ioSonoCallas]

Inoubliable, immortelle Leyla! Je pense que de toutes les cantatrices contemporaines de Callas, c'est elle qui a le mieux compris le message de Callas. Sur scène elle s'est donné avec feux et passion tout en restant consciente comme le disait Callas: "Sur scène vous devez tout donner, mais vous devez toujours rester conscient car vous devez garder le contrôle, toujours!"

Elle partagent en effet ce don de Dieu!

(Gencer a en plus un sens inné de la drôlerie)

Merci uyildiz

[andranik77]

Légendaire modestie des Divas !

Cela peut prêter à sourire... sauf que Leyla, elle, peut se permettre ce genre de commentaire, car, à l'instar de la Divina, Diva, elle l'était vraiment, elle aussi ! Et aussi Magda, Dame Joan, Renata (les deux), Virginia, Montserrat, Beverly, Leontyne, Shirley, Grace...

[Darjaius]

"María, potencialmente, tenía en la sangre, en las venas, en el subconsciente, toda la tragedia griega. Había nacido así.

En el fondo tuvo sus mayores satisfacciones durante diez años. Fue algo muy breve. Pero naturalmente continúa el mito… el mito de la Callas, porque hizo grandes cosas.

Era una fuerza magnética en el escenario. Los demás ya no existían. Es un don divino, es un don de la naturaleza, es un don de Dios. Es un talento, un gran talento…

Pienso que también yo lo tengo."

[Shahrdad]

@fabrizzzio48 I think the role's personality dominated Callas' voice, not her own. Despite an unusual voice, Callas had an incredible technique, but it was one that was perfect for her larger, stronger body. Once she became skinny and lost that physical strength, the technique didn't match the body as well, and deterioration ensued. Musically, Callas was a genius, but even from a technical standpoint, she was able to do things with her voice that have yet to be matched by anyone.

[fabrizzzio48]

Callas was more personality than voice. Her personality dominated the voice. Layla had a much more refined and secure technique, and much more beautiful sound than Callas. But, Callas was beyond sound, her bet was on expression. And, expression, ladies and gentlemen, eventually wins the day.

[MrJudube]

Leyla has interesting background. She comes from Turkish-Polish family with aristocratic roots.

[JoanNilson]

I disagree with you, uyildez. Leyla is very deferential towards Maria! She even states that Callas was "tres grande chose" .. "une force magnetique sur la scene" ." grand talent" ..although she does add before the Callas interview part: "I think that I had it also" Yes, you did Mme. Leyla! And we miss you as we miss the grand Maria.

Today's divas are poor attempts to replicate your art! From those of us who heard you "dal vivo": Rest n Peace!!!

[sillyboydeux]

"Unconventional" worked for Magda, as we have the video of her singing the Bach-Gounod Ave Maria at 99!

[robertdonkers]

I do not think that they tried to shun the big circuit, they were simply not asked. Magda Olivero was in a way a very unconventional singer and that is why voice and (pirate) and some studio recordings will stand the time. Leyla Gencer had the misfortune that first there was Callas who sung the same repertoire and then there was the magnificent Caballe who the recording companies preferred.