Semiha Berksoy
Encyclopedia
Semiha Berksoy was one of the first Turkish
opera
singers, the prima donna
of the Turkish opera, a painter, and an internationally acclaimed artist.
She was born in Çengelköy, Istanbul
, Turkey
in 1910. She studied painting at the Istanbul Academy of Fine Arts. She studied singing at the Istanbul Municipal Conservatory.
in 1931. She was cast in operettas in Istanbul theaters early in her career. She sang in the first Turkish opera Özsoy in 1934 (commissioned by Kemal Atatürk, composed by Adnan Saygun). She was honoured as the First Turkish Opera Singer and awarded with the opportunity to go to Berlin Music Academy for further training. She started her international singing career in 1934, performing in Turkey
, Germany
and Portugal
, becoming known as a Wagnerian soprano
. In 1939, for the 75th birthday of Richard Strauss
in Berlin
, she sang the role of Ariadne in Ariadne auf Naxos
, becoming the first Turkish prima donna to perform on stage in Europe. Back in Turkey she worked with Carl Ebert
helping him in his efforts to create the Turkish State Opera and Ballet
. This initiative lead to the creation of the Experimental Stage of the Ankara State Conservatory 1940.
She retired from the Istanbul Opera in 1972. She was decorated with the "Atatürk Opera Award" at the 50th anniversary ceremonies commemorating the introduction of women's rights to vote and to be elected. She received the title of "State Artist
" in Turkey in 1998. Following her retirement, she remained active mostly as a theater artist.
Four years preceding her death, at the age of 90, she appeared in a dramatic scene singing Liebestod in Robert Wilson
's opera The Days Before: Death, Destruction and Detroit III at the Lincoln Center in New York City
(1999).
She died in Istanbul at the age of 94 due to complications related with heart surgery. She is survived by a daughter, Zeliha Berksoy.
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
singers, the prima donna
Prima donna
Originally used in opera or Commedia dell'arte companies, "prima donna" is Italian for "first lady." The term was used to designate the leading female singer in the opera company, the person to whom the prime roles would be given. The prima donna was normally, but not necessarily, a soprano...
of the Turkish opera, a painter, and an internationally acclaimed artist.
She was born in Çengelköy, Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
in 1910. She studied painting at the Istanbul Academy of Fine Arts. She studied singing at the Istanbul Municipal Conservatory.
Career
Berksoy started her acting career the role of Semiha in the first Turkish sound movie İstanbul Sokaklarında directed by Muhsin ErtuğrulMuhsin Ertugrul
Muhsin Ertuğrul , aka Ertuğrul Muhsin Bey, was a Turkish actor and director.Muhsin Ertuğrul, who had important contributions to both Turkish theatre and Turkish cinema, was born in İstanbul on March 7, 1892...
in 1931. She was cast in operettas in Istanbul theaters early in her career. She sang in the first Turkish opera Özsoy in 1934 (commissioned by Kemal Atatürk, composed by Adnan Saygun). She was honoured as the First Turkish Opera Singer and awarded with the opportunity to go to Berlin Music Academy for further training. She started her international singing career in 1934, performing in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, becoming known as a Wagnerian soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
. In 1939, for the 75th birthday of Richard Strauss
Richard Strauss
Richard Georg Strauss was a leading German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras. He is known for his operas, which include Der Rosenkavalier and Salome; his Lieder, especially his Four Last Songs; and his tone poems and orchestral works, such as Death and Transfiguration, Till...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, she sang the role of Ariadne in Ariadne auf Naxos
Ariadne auf Naxos
Ariadne auf Naxos is an opera by Richard Strauss with a German libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. Bringing together slapstick comedy and consuming beautiful music, the opera's theme is the competition between high and low art for the public's attention.- First version :The opera was originally...
, becoming the first Turkish prima donna to perform on stage in Europe. Back in Turkey she worked with Carl Ebert
Carl Ebert
Carl Ebert was a German theatre and opera producer and administrator.-Biography:He worked as an actor and theatre director in Germany from 1915 to 1927, directing Brecht's In The Jungle of Cities in Darmstadt in 1927...
helping him in his efforts to create the Turkish State Opera and Ballet
Turkish State Opera and Ballet
The State Opera and Ballet is the national directorate of opera and ballet companies of Turkey, with venues in Ankara, İstanbul, İzmir, Mersin, Antalya and Samsun...
. This initiative lead to the creation of the Experimental Stage of the Ankara State Conservatory 1940.
She retired from the Istanbul Opera in 1972. She was decorated with the "Atatürk Opera Award" at the 50th anniversary ceremonies commemorating the introduction of women's rights to vote and to be elected. She received the title of "State Artist
State Artist
State Artist is a honorary title issued to artists by the government of Turkey for their contributions into the Turkish culture. It was established in 1971 by President of Turkey and the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism....
" in Turkey in 1998. Following her retirement, she remained active mostly as a theater artist.
Four years preceding her death, at the age of 90, she appeared in a dramatic scene singing Liebestod in Robert Wilson
Robert Wilson (director)
Robert Wilson is an American avant-garde stage director and playwright who has been called "[America]'s — or even the world's — foremost vanguard 'theater artist'". Over the course of his wide-ranging career, he has also worked as a choreographer, performer, painter, sculptor, video...
's opera The Days Before: Death, Destruction and Detroit III at the Lincoln Center in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
(1999).
She died in Istanbul at the age of 94 due to complications related with heart surgery. She is survived by a daughter, Zeliha Berksoy.
Filmography
- İstanbul Sokaklarında ("In the Istanbul Streets"), (1931)
- Söz Bir, Allah Bir, (1933)
- Büyük Sır ("The Big Secret"), (1956)
- Karanlık Sular ("The Serpent's Tale"), (1993)
- Boulevard Bio, (2002)