Gencer was born in Turkey. Her mother was from Poland and her father from Turkey. She began studying at the Istanbul Conservatory and later she took private lessons in Ankara with the famous Italian soprano Giannina Arangi-Lombardi. She later sang in the chorus of the Turkish State Opera until she made her operatic debut in Ankara in 1950 as Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana. Gencer made her Italian debut at the San Carlo in Naples as Santuzza (1953)and in 1962 her debut at Royal Opera House, Covent Garden with Don Carlo. She sung in the USA in 1956 in Francesca da Rimini. In 1985, she retired from the stage, however, she continued to appear in rare concerts until 1992. Recently,she appointed by La Scala to run its school for young artists. She gives master classes, as well.

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Leyla Gencer

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