Legendary soprano Gencer dies

Turkish soprano Leyla Gencer, one of the greatest opera singers of the 20th century, has died of heart failure in Milan, Italy, at the age of 79. Born in Istanbul in October 1928, Gencer won international recognition after her debut in 1957 at Milan's La Scala Theater as Madame Lidoine in the world premiere of Poulenc's "Les Dialogues des Carmelites." Known as "La Diva Turca," she performed at La Scala and other leading world theaters until 1985, accumulating a repertoire of more than 70 roles, notably the great heroines of Donizetti. She was the artistic director of the La Scala Academy, when she passed away on Friday in her home in Milan. A commemorative ceremony for Gencer will be held in Milan today, after which her body will be cremated in line with her wishes. Her ashes will then be brought to Istanbul and scattered over the Bosphorus.