Leyla Gencer Archive

LA TRAVIATA

Giuseppe Verdi (1813 - 1901)

Opera in three acts in Italian
Libretto: Francesco Maria Piave after Alexander Duma’s play La Dame aux Camélias
Premièr at Teatro la Fenice, Venice – 6 March 1853

17, 20 June 1957

Staatsoper, Wien

Conductor: Herbert von Karajan

Chorus master: Roberto Benaglio

Stage director: Mario Frigerio
Scene and costumes: Lila de Nobili
Choreographie: Luciana Novaro
Lighting: Albin Rotter

Alfredo Germont lover of Violetta GIANNI RAIMONDI tenor

Giorgio Germont his father ROLANDO PANERAI baritone
Gastone de Letorieres a young man about town MARIANO CARUSO tenor
Baron Douphol a rival of Alfredo ARTURO LA PORTA baritone
Marchese d’Obigny FRANCO CALABRESE bass
Giuseppe servant to Violetta ERICH MAJKUT tenor
Dr. Grenvil LJUBOMIR PANTSCEFF bass
Violetta Valery a courtesan LEYLA GENCER soprano
Flora Bervoix her friend SILVANA ZANOLLI mezzo-soprano
Annina Violetta’s confident and maid MARGARETA SJÖSTEDT soprano
Un commissionario HANS SCHWEIGER baritone
Un massaggero HARALD PRÖGLHÖF baritone

Time: 1850

Place: Paris and vicinity

CONTRACT FOR THE PERFORMANCES

1957.05.21

NEUER KURIER                                              

1957.06.21

HERBERT SCHNEIBER

The presence of Leyla Gencer is enchanting on the stage: she has a fine noble face and dignified movements. Although she doesn’t possess a big voice, yet she emits so special vibrations and she has such an emotional way of singing. The obvious purpose of the colours that she creates through her voice is: “creating warm tones”. She is a master of “agility” and has a clean, accurate intonation. Her voice is perfectly trained and she has mastery over both low and high ranges. 
And this is exactly how the Alexandre Dumas’ mundane protagonist supposed to be: an irresistible woman with an unusual magnetic charm. Her movements and behaviours are elegant, aristocratic. And in spite all, she is a natural person; a woman who has intellectual interests and knows how to embrace all her charming particularities. And her voice reflects all these characteristics perfectly.
Leyla Gencer’s voice may not be considered classically beautiful but its vibrations define its main quality. With her vocal technique and intelligence, she guides them perfectly. And this is how she manages to make audience cry or laugh, light a dramatic fire, spread warmness, sweetness and even distance when necessary. All these properties attribute a unique charm to her artistry and her voice.

CUMHURİYET DAILY NEWSPAPER                                       

1957.06.22

THE TIMES CALIFORNIA                                         

1957.08.15