Teresa Berganza

Mezzo-soprano Teresa Berganza’s profession always had something of the Spanish taste to it, despite the fact that she excelled in Mozart and Rossini assignments and other components of the original repertory. She regularly championed Spanish music, from zarzuela (the Spanish musical movie theater genre), towards the music of Granados and Falla. She also sang the name function of Carmen often, bringing her very own unique feeling of the type (in addition to extensive research, a lot of it in Spain, watching Spanish gypsy females) to both stage and recordings. A musician of uncommon breadth and capability, Berganza was an achieved pianist and organist, and also examined conducting and structure. Her tone of voice, which had an extraordinary upper extension, were able to mix boundaries aswell: in 1960 she was provided the function of Violetta — a mainstay from the soprano repertory — in Verdi’s La traviata at La Scala in Milan. Berganza examined on the Madrid Conservatory, under Lola Rodriguez Aragon, who herself examined with Elisabeth Schumann. She credits her instructor with the entire procedure for her advancement, from a fresh talent to some polished designer; throughout her profession, she continued to review with Aragon, developing interpretations or training minor vocal complications. Berganza produced her professional debut in 1956 in the Madrid Athenaeum in Schumann’s music routine Frauenliebe und -Leben, and produced her operatic debut in the Aix-in-Provence Event as Dorabella in Così lover tutte. She produced her Glyndebourne debut in 1958 as Cherubino. Within the same yr, she produced her U.S. debut in Dallas, performing the comprimario part of Neris inside a creation of Medea. The Medea was Maria Callas, and Berganza later on announced that she under no circumstances learned just as much about musical crisis and stage self-discipline as from Callas, who treated her “just like a young sister,” actually insisting that Berganza be permitted to portray Neris as a woman near Medea’s own age group, rather than a mature, matronly shape, as was customary. Berganza produced her Covent Backyard debut as Rosina in 1960; through the entire 1960s and early 1970s she sang mainly Rossini and Mozart. She produced her Met debut as Cherubino in 1967. Berganza 1st sang Carmen in 1977, and referred to it later like a deeply liberating encounter — personally in addition to musically. In planning the part, she stopped at Seville to see gypsy women, browse the unique book by Prosper Merimee, and researched the rating deeply. She created her personal perceptions of Carmen: she was a free of charge spirit inside a restrictive tradition, but definately not being truly a prostitute or even a tramp, and also possessing a particular sweetness. Even though many critics applauded her display, others discovered it without bloodstream and guts — as well “ladylike.” (Berganza countered this with her observation that, definately not getting the flamboyant, hand-on-the-hip, promiscuous animals of popular considering, true Spanish gypsy ladies in reality follow a reasonably rigid regular of decorum.) She brought exactly the same kind of primary thinking towards the function of Zerlina in Don Giovanni, and in the well-known Joseph Losey film, she sang her simply because a completely mature and sensual youthful woman, rather than basic and bedazzled gal. Berganza was also a prominent recitalist, focusing on Spanish melody. Among her recordings, her Rosina (perhaps one of the most gorgeous on record), and her assortment of Spanish music on Claves are both excellent.