The Turkish Daily News warns its female readership to “get ready… a charming chevalier will sweep you off your feet.” Tonight in Istanbul, world-renowned baritone Suat Arıkan is celebrating 25 years in the opera business with a concert at the Hagia Irene Museum.
I’m an opera singer myself, and I’m glad to finally start discovering the existence of a European classical music tradition in Turkey. I do also love Eastern classical music, musique orientale if you will, but there’s something about a Verdi aria coming from a big booming baritone that just does it for me like nothing else, and Arıkan fits the bill. I wish I could be there tonight. Anyone got an extra ticket and a private jet?
After reading the TDN article on the event, I’m surprised at the mention and implication of so many other Turkish classical musicians. I mean, there’s a conservatory here in Antalya, I know that, and I’ve seen the signs for an alleged local opera house and theatre, but I think classical music in general is still very much a fringe thing here, at least in the south of Turkey (perhaps those in Istanbul are luckier). In my classical career I can certainly say I never encountered a Turkish singer, but of course that doesn’t mean they weren’t around. So now it’s my job to make an effort to learn more about this and perhaps see if I can work my way back into a classical music scene that I thought I left behind forever when I left Europe. I’ll see what I can dig up. Does anyone have any recordings of Turkish opera singers they’d care to share with the class? I’m curious to hear what sort of standard we’re talking about. If it’s anything like the other traditional Turkish musicians I’ve heard, then I’m sure we’re in for a treat.
Turkish opera is by and large pretty feeble. There are a number of good voices out there, but with the financial attractions of eastern classical music being so much greater, they have gravitated away from opera. Note also that Sertab Erener, Turkey’s pop diva, has a classically trained voice, though she chooses to compete in the Eurovision. 🙂 Turks also have a predilection for home-grown compositions, most of which I find worthless. Opera has not caught on here. Unlike ballet.
Probably the best know Turkish opera singer is Leyla Gencer, who drove the Italians nuts years ago and who now lives in Milan. “Figlia di Bolena, parli tu di disonore” brought the house down many times, though her voice is miniscule. Bigger voices have since appeared, but with less international fame.
An opera house in Antalya?! Well, well. I must visit when next I’m there.
Turkish opera is by and large pretty feeble. There are a number of good voices out there, but with the financial attractions of eastern classical music being so much greater, they have gravitated away from opera. Note also that Sertab Erener, Turkey’s pop diva, has a classically trained voice, though she chooses to compete in the Eurovision. 🙂 Turks also have a predilection for home-grown compositions, most of which I find worthless. Opera has not caught on here. Unlike ballet.
Probably the best know Turkish opera singer is Leyla Gencer, who drove the Italians nuts years ago and who now lives in Milan. “Figlia di Bolena, parli tu di disonore” brought the house down many times, though her voice is miniscule. Bigger voices have since appeared, but with less international fame.
An opera house in Antalya?! Well, well. I must visit when next I’m there.
Well, “opera house” might be too strong a term – perhaps “Mehmet’s house of opera” might be more along the lines of what we have. I saw the sign for it again today, it just says something about it being such-and-such performance hall, home of the Antalya State Opera and Ballet. I must check it out.
I’m surprised about Sertab – I’m forever complaining about her poor breath support and subsequent missed high notes… mostly though I complain about the sound engineer who should have fixed that in the studio. 🙂
I’ll have to check out Leyla Gencer if I can find any recordings. Soprano? Mezzo?
Well, “opera house” might be too strong a term – perhaps “Mehmet’s house of opera” might be more along the lines of what we have. I saw the sign for it again today, it just says something about it being such-and-such performance hall, home of the Antalya State Opera and Ballet. I must check it out.
I’m surprised about Sertab – I’m forever complaining about her poor breath support and subsequent missed high notes… mostly though I complain about the sound engineer who should have fixed that in the studio. 🙂
I’ll have to check out Leyla Gencer if I can find any recordings. Soprano? Mezzo?
I did a little search for her, and found this site which might help you locate her CDs. Honestly, though, I’ve not been able to find many of her recordings in Turkey.
http://www.leylagencer.eu/discography.html
On the subject of learning Turkish, I’m for the immersion method of study. Either that or expect to spend many years learning it. Turkish defies anyone brought up to speak an indo-european language!
I did a little search for her, and found this site which might help you locate her CDs. Honestly, though, I’ve not been able to find many of her recordings in Turkey.
http://www.leylagencer.eu/discography.html
On the subject of learning Turkish, I’m for the immersion method of study. Either that or expect to spend many years learning it. Turkish defies anyone brought up to speak an indo-european language!
Melissa,
Even though Leyla Gencer was one of the best sopranos of her time, she was principally against recording her voice. That’s why almost each album of her is actually kindda pirated.
I got one of her rare original albums and I can send a copy of it to you; but first, check here if you like it or not:
http://leylagencer.tripod.com/voice.html
(I believe that there aren’t any copyright restrictions for the pieces in this site)
PS: You inspired me about writing on Turkish opera and its deficiencies. I’m gonna dig out a parallelysm by two historical anectodes.
Melissa,
Even though Leyla Gencer was one of the best sopranos of her time, she was principally against recording her voice. That’s why almost each album of her is actually kindda pirated.
I got one of her rare original albums and I can send a copy of it to you; but first, check here if you like it or not:
http://leylagencer.tripod.com/voice.html
(I believe that there aren’t any copyright restrictions for the pieces in this site)
PS: You inspired me about writing on Turkish opera and its deficiencies. I’m gonna dig out a parallelysm by two historical anectodes.
Best recordings of Leyla gencer are RAI (RadioTelevision Italiana) B&W films from the sixties. DVD transfers of a Trovatore w. Del Monaco & Bastianini and an Aida w. Bergonzi & Cossotto are widely available thru AMAZON resellers.
In the US I used to get a catalog from Video Arts International (VAI) and they had a lot of VHS transfers of RAI films.
TRT3 did a program series in early 2009 on Gençer after her death in 2008 (La Diva Turca). The program included a lot of recordings from her La Scala and other Italian opera house performances as well as Teatro Colon where she was one of the favorites. You may (?) be able to find streaming audio from TRT3 though I am not certain.
Best recordings of Leyla gencer are RAI (RadioTelevision Italiana) B&W films from the sixties. DVD transfers of a Trovatore w. Del Monaco & Bastianini and an Aida w. Bergonzi & Cossotto are widely available thru AMAZON resellers.
In the US I used to get a catalog from Video Arts International (VAI) and they had a lot of VHS transfers of RAI films.
TRT3 did a program series in early 2009 on Gençer after her death in 2008 (La Diva Turca). The program included a lot of recordings from her La Scala and other Italian opera house performances as well as Teatro Colon where she was one of the favorites. You may (?) be able to find streaming audio from TRT3 though I am not certain.
btw. I came acroos your site while looking up info on baritone Suat Arıkan (a friend’s friend)…
btw. I came acroos your site while looking up info on baritone Suat Arıkan (a friend’s friend)…