100Singers's video: 100 Singers - In Memoriam: TERESA BERGANZA

Teresa Berganza, her name meant masterly virtuosity, musical intelligence and winning stage presence. When she recorded in 1962 Rossinis L' ITALIANA IN ALGERI with her colleague and friend Luigi Alva and Rolando Panerai under Silvio Varviso, she was already well-known as a specialist for baroque and early bel canto music - at age 27. Berganza was not an artist for fans with admiration for furious effects. She was for connoisseurs who like vocal cleverness and aesthetic singing. She prefered composers like Monteverdi, Scarlatti, Händel, Gluck and, of course, Rossini. As a Spanish mezzo-soprano and "primadonna", Bizet's CARMEN was an unavoidable concession she performed not before she was over fourty and quite sure of it. She gave us a proud and noble gypsy. I believe, Teresa Berganza was the only legitimate Spanish successor of Conchita Supervia. Berganza always was a very intelligent person and knew the limits of her sensible voice, a fine and velvet-like instrument. For me she was at her best when presenting women with pride, finesse and pretended indignation. Teresa Berganza died at age 89 on May 13, 2022. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote on Twitter that "the voice, elegance and art" of Berganza would "always accompany Spaniards." If you would like to share your thoughts with us, please leave a comment.