Semiha Berksoy’s 109th Birthday

Google Dooles 24.05.2019 01:10  Date: May 24, 2019 Remembered as the first lady of Turkish opera, Semiha Berksoy was the first Muslim woman to sing opera professionally in Turkey. Born in Çengelköy, Istanbul on this day in 1910, Berksoy was also an accomplished painter who became a major cultural figure in the early years of the Turkish Republic. Artistically inclined since her youth, Berksoy studied music, drama, and the visual arts in Istanbul. When her father tried to convince her to leave the conservatory, she answered him with a passionate letter stating, "I have found something to light me on fire and make my spirit soar, that is the love of art.” Berksoy was 21 years old when she starred in the first Turkish sound movie, Istanbul Sokaklari She was also invited to sing in the first Turkish opera “Ozsoy,” which was attended by Atatürk himself, who was said to be stunned by her voice. Winning a scholarship to the Berlin Music Academy, Berksoy studied in Germany and appeared as the lead in Richard Strauss’s “Ariadne Auf Naxos,” making her the first Turkish opera singer to star in Europe. Despite her international success, she returned home to help establish Ankara’s first opera house. Known for her signature makeup, Berksoy became an icon of Turkish culture. She was also renowned for pushing the envelope with her fashion choices, once performing in a transparent self-painted costume. Her paintings, which were shown in such renowned exhibitions as the 2003 Venice Biennale, often depicted a little girl which was said to personify the artist herself. Doodle by Shanti Rittgers Location: Tags: , ,