Leontyne Price |

Leontyne Price

Lapho ebuzwa ukuthi umbala wesikhumba ungaphazamisa yini umsebenzi womdlali we-opera, uLeontina Price waphendula ngale ndlela: “Ngokuqondene nabathandi bomculo, akubaphazamisi. Kodwa kimi, njengomculi, ngokuphelele. Kurekhodi “elivundile” legilamafoni, ngingaqopha noma yini. Kodwa, uma ngikhuluma iqiniso, konke ukubonakala esiteji se-opera kungilethela injabulo nokukhathazeka okuhambisana nezimonyo, ukulingisa nokunye. NjengoDesdemona noma u-Elizabeth, ngizizwa ngibi kakhulu esiteji kuno-Aida. Yingakho ingoma yami ethi “bukhoma” ingenkulu ngendlela engingathanda ukuba ibe ngayo. Akubuzwa, umsebenzi womculi we-opera onebala elimnyama unzima, ngisho noma ukudalelwa kungazange kumphuce izwi lakhe.

UMary Violet Leontina Price wazalwa ngo-February 10, 1927 eningizimu ye-United States, edolobheni laseLaurel (Mississippi), emndenini wamaNegro wesisebenzi esakhiweni samapulangwe.

Naphezu kweholo elincane, abazali bazama ukunikeza indodakazi yabo imfundo, futhi yena, ngokungafani neningi lontanga yakhe, wakwazi ukuphothula ekolishi e-Wilferforce futhi wathatha izifundo zomculo eziningana. Ngaphezu kwalokho, indlela ngabe ivaliwe kuye ukube bekungeyona ingozi yokuqala ejabulisayo: omunye wemindeni ecebile wamqokela umfundaze wokuyofunda eSikoleni esidumile saseJuilliard.

Ngesinye isikhathi, kwelinye lamakhonsathi omfundi, umphathi we-Vocal Faculty, ezwa uLeontina ecula ingoma kaDido, akakwazanga ukuzibamba injabulo yakhe: "Le ntombazane izobonwa yizwe lonke lomculo eminyakeni embalwa!"

Kwenye ingoma yomfundi, intombazane encane yamaNegro yezwa umgxeki nomqambi odumile uVirgil Thomson. Ube ngowokuqala ukuzwa ikhono lakhe elimangalisayo futhi wammema ukuthi abonakale okokuqala emdlalweni wakhe wokuqala wamahlaya othi The Four Saints. Kwaphela amasonto ambalwa ebonakala esiteji futhi wadonsa ukunaka kwabagxeki. Ngaleso sikhathi, iqembu elincane lamaNegro "Evrimen-Opera" lalifuna umlingisi wendima eyinhloko wesifazane ku-opera kaGershwin ethi "Porgy and Bess". Ukukhetha kwawela ku-Price.

“Emasontweni amabili impela ngo-April 1952, ngangicula nsuku zonke ku-Broadway,” kukhumbula lo mculi, “lokhu kwangisiza ukuba ngimazi u-Ira Gershwin, umfowabo kaGeorge Gershwin nombhali wemibhalo yeningi lemisebenzi yakhe. Ngokushesha ngafunda i-Bess aria kuPorgy noBess, futhi lapho ngiyicula okokuqala, ngamenywa ngokushesha endimeni eyinhloko kule opera.

Phakathi neminyaka emithathu eyalandela, umculi osemusha, kanye neqembu, bavakashela amadolobha amaningi e-United States, bese kuthi amanye amazwe - eJalimane, eNgilandi, eFrance. Yonke indawo wayeheha izethameli ngobuqotho bokuhumusha, amakhono amahle kakhulu okukhuluma. Abagxeki baphawule ngokungaguquki ukusebenza kahle kwengxenye kaLeonty yeBess.

Ngo-Okthoba 1953, ehholo leLibrary of Congress eWashington, umculi osemusha wenza okokuqala ngqa umjikelezo wezwi othi "Izingoma zeHermit" kaSamuel Barber. Umjikelezo wawubhalwe ngokukhethekile ngokusekelwe kumakhono ezwi kaPrice. Ngo-November 1954, uPrice wacula okokuqala ngqa njengomculi wekhonsathi e-Town Hall eNew York. Ngesizini efanayo, ucula neBoston Symphony Orchestra. Lokhu kwalandelwa ukudlala ne-Philadelphia Orchestra namanye ama-symphony ensembles aseMelika ahamba phambili e-Los Angeles, eCincinnati, eWashington.

Naphezu kwempumelelo yakhe esobala, u-Price wayekwazi ukuphupha ngesiteji se-Metropolitan Opera noma i-Chicago Lyric Opera - ukufinyelela kubaculi be-Negro kwakuvaliwe cishe. Ngesinye isikhathi, ngokuvuma kwakhe, uLeontina waze wacabanga ukuya ku-jazz. Kodwa, ngemva kokuzwa umculi waseBulgaria ULyuba Velich endimeni kaSalome, futhi kwezinye izindima, ekugcineni wanquma ukuzinikela ku-opera. Ubungane neciko elidumile kusukela ngaleso sikhathi buye baba umsekeli omkhulu wokuziphatha kuye.

Ngenhlanhla, ngolunye usuku oluhle, kwalandela isimemo sokucula i-Tosca emdlalweni wethelevishini. Ngemva kwalokhu kusebenza, kwacaca ukuthi inkanyezi yangempela yesiteji se-opera yazalwa. U-Tosca walandelwa yi-The Magic Flute, u-Don Giovanni, naye kumabonakude, kwase kuba umdlalo omusha wokuqala esiteji se-opera e-San Francisco, lapho u-Price abambe iqhaza ekulingiseni i-opera ka-F. Poulenc ethi Dialogues of the Carmelites. Ngakho, ngo-1957 waqala umsebenzi wakhe ohlakaniphile.

Umculi odumile uRosa Ponselle ukhumbule umhlangano wakhe wokuqala noLeontino Price:

“Ngemva kokucula enye ye-opera engiyikhonzile ethi “Pace, pace, mio ​​Dio” ephuma ethi “The Force of Destiny”, ngabona ukuthi ngangilalele elinye lamazwi amnandi kakhulu esikhathi sethu. Kodwa amakhono ezwi ahlakaniphile awakona neze konke kwezobuciko. Izikhathi eziningi ngethulwa kubaculi abasebasha abanesiphiwo okwathi ngemuva kwalokho bahluleka ukubona ikhono labo lemvelo elicebile.

Ngakho-ke, ngesithakazelo futhi - ngeke ngifihle - ngokukhathazeka kwangaphakathi, ngazama engxoxweni yethu ende ukuqonda izici zakhe zobuntu, umuntu. Futhi-ke ngabona ukuthi ngaphezu kwezwi elimangalisayo nomculo, ubuye abe nezinye izimfanelo eziningi ezibaluleke kakhulu kumdwebi - ukuzigxeka, isizotha, ikhono lokuzinikela okukhulu ngenxa yobuciko. Futhi ngabona ukuthi le ntombazane ihloselwe ukukwazi ukuphakama kwekhono, ukuba yiciko elivelele ngempela.

Ngo-1958, uPrice wenza umdlalo wakhe wokuqala wokunqoba njengo-Aida ezikhungweni ezintathu ezinkulu zase-Europe ze-opera - iVienna Opera, iCovent Garden Theatre yaseLondon kanye noMkhosi waseVerona Arena. Endimeni efanayo, umculi waseMelika wangena esiteji saseLa Scala okokuqala ngqa ngo-1960. U-Aida, uLeontina Price, ekuchazeni kwakhe ukufudumala nothando lukaRenata Tebaldi nomculo nokucija kwemininingwane ehlukanisa ukuhunyushwa kukaLeonia Rizanek. U-Price ukwazile ukwenza ukuhlanganisa okuphilayo kwamasiko anamuhla angcono kakhulu okufunda le ndima, eyicebisa ngombono wakhe wobuciko nomcabango wokudala.

"I-Aida iyisithombe sombala wami, yenza samuntu futhi ifinyeze uhlanga lonke, izwekazi lonke," kusho uPrice. - Usondele kakhulu kimi ngokulungela kwakhe ukuzidela, umusa, ingqondo ye-heroine. Kunezithombe ezimbalwa ezincwadini ze-operatic lapho thina, abaculi abansundu, singaziveza ngokugcwala okunjalo. Yingakho ngimthanda kangaka uGershwin, ngoba wasinika uPorgy noBess.

Umculi oshisekayo, oshisekayo waheha izethameli zaseYurophu naye, wagcwalisa iculo le-soprano lakhe elinamandla, eliqine ngokulinganayo kuwo wonke amarejista, kanye nekhono lakhe lokufinyelela umvuthwandaba ovusa amadlingozi, ukulingisa kalula kanye nokunambitheka okumangalisayo kwemvelo.

Kusukela ngo-1961, uLeontino Price ubelokhu ecula yedwa neMetropolitan Opera. NgoJanuwari XNUMX, uzokwenza umdlalo wakhe wokuqala esiteji seshashalazi edumile yaseNew York ku-opera Il trovatore. Abezindaba zomculo abazange bagxumeke ekudumiseni: “Izwi likaNkulunkulu”, “Ubuhle bezingoma eziphelele”, “Izinkondlo Ezisenyameni zomculo kaVerdi”.

Kungaleso sikhathi, ekuqaleni kwawo-60s, lapho kwakhiwa umgogodla we-repertoire yomculi, okuhlanganisa, ngaphezu kukaTosca no-Aida, futhi izingxenye zikaLeonora e-Il trovatore, uLiu eTurandot, uCarmen. Kamuva, lapho i-Price isivele isezingeni eliphezulu lodumo, lolu hlu lwalubuyekezwa njalo ngamaqembu amasha, ama-arias amasha nezothando, izingoma zomdabu.

Umsebenzi owengeziwe weciko uwuchungechunge lokunqoba okuqhubekayo ezigabeni ezihlukahlukene zomhlaba. Ngo-1964, wacula eMoscow njengengxenye yeqembu laseLa Scala, wacula ku-Verdi's Requiem eqhutshwa uKarajan, futhi amaMuscovites abonga ubuciko bakhe. Ukusebenzisana ne-maestro yase-Austrian ngokuvamile sekube elinye lamakhasi abaluleke kakhulu omlando wakhe wokudala. Iminyaka eminingi amagama abo ayengahlukaniseki kumaphosta ekhonsathi nasetiyetha, kumarekhodi. Lobu bungane bokudala bazalwa eNew York ngesikhathi sokuzilolonga, futhi kusukela ngaleso sikhathi sekuyisikhathi eside bebizwa ngokuthi "i-soprano kaKarajan". Ngaphansi kokuqondisa okuhlakaniphile kukaKarayan, umculi weNegro wakwazi ukuveza izici ezinhle kakhulu zethalente lakhe futhi andisa uhla lwakhe lokudala. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, futhi kuze kube phakade, igama lakhe liye langena elite of world vocal art.

Naphezu kwenkontileka neMetropolitan Opera, umculi wachitha isikhathi esiningi eYurophu. “Kithina, lokhu kuyinto evamile,” etshela izintatheli, “futhi kuchazwa ukuntuleka komsebenzi e-United States: zimbalwa izindlu ze-opera, kodwa baningi abaculi.”

“Amaculo amaningi aqoshiwe abhekwa abagxeki njengengxenye evelele ekuculweni kwamazwi kwanamuhla,” kuphawula umhlaziyi womculo uVV Timokhin. - Uqophe elinye lamaphathi akhe omqhele - uLeonora ku-Il trovatore kaVerdi - kathathu. Ngayinye yalezi zinto ezirekhodiwe inokufaneleka kwayo, kodwa mhlawumbe okuhlaba umxhwele kakhulu ukuqoshwa okwenziwa ngo-1970 ekuhlanganisweni noPlacido Domingo, Fiorenza Cossotto, Sherrill Milnes. U-Price uzwa ngendlela emangalisayo uhlobo lomculo ka-Verdi, ukundiza kwawo, ukungena okuthakazelayo nobuhle. Izwi lomculi ligcwele ipulasitiki engavamile, ukuguquguquka, ingokomoya elithuthumelayo. Yeka ukuthi i-aria yakhe kaLeonora evela esenzweni sokuqala izwakala kanjani inkondlo, lapho u-Price eletha ngesikhathi esifanayo umuzwa wokukhathazeka okungacacile, injabulo yomzwelo. Ngokwezinga elikhulu, lokhu kuqhutshwa umbala othize "omnyama" wezwi lomculi, owawuwusizo kakhulu kuye endimeni kaCarmen, nasezindimeni ze-repertoire yase-Italy, ebanikeza isici sedrama yangaphakathi. I-aria ka-Leonora kanye nethi “Miserere” kusukela esenzweni sesine se-opera ziphakathi kwezimpumelelo eziphakeme kakhulu zika-Leontina Price ku-opera yesi-Italian. Lapha awazi ukuthi yini ongayincoma kakhulu - inkululeko emangalisayo nokuzwakala kahle kwephimbo, lapho izwi liphenduka libe ithuluzi eliphelele, elingaphansi komculi, noma ukuzidela, ukushiswa kobuciko, lapho isithombe, umlingiswa uzwakala wonke umusho oculwa. Inani licula ngokumangalisayo kuzo zonke izigcawu ezihlangene lapho i-opera Il trovatore inothe ngayo. Ungumphefumulo walawa ma-ensembles, isisekelo sokuqinisa. Izwi likaPrice libonakala limunce zonke izinkondlo, umfutho omangalisayo, ubuhle bezingoma nobuqotho obujulile bomculo kaVerdi.

Ngo-1974, ekuvulweni kwesizini eSan Francisco Opera House, uPrice uheha izethameli nge-pathos eqondile yokusebenza kukaManon Lescaut ku-opera yegama elifanayo likaPuccini: wacula okokuqala ngqa ingxenye kaManon.

Ngasekupheleni kweminyaka yama-70s, umculi wanciphisa kakhulu inani lemidlalo yakhe ye-opera. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, phakathi nale minyaka waphendukela izingxenye ukuthi, njengoba kwakubonakala ekuqaleni, azihambisani neze ithalente umculi. Kwanele ukusho ukudlala ngo-1979 ku-Metropolitan yendima ka-Ariadne ku-opera ka-R. Strauss ethi Ariadne auf Naxos. Ngemuva kwalokho, abagxeki abaningi babeka umculi ezingeni elilinganayo nabaculi abavelele baseStraussian abagqamile kule ndima.

Kusukela ngo-1985, uPrice uqhubekile nokucula njengomculi wegumbi. Nakhu okwabhalwa u-VV ekuqaleni kwawo-80s. UTimokhin: “Izinhlelo zesimanje zikaPrice, umculi we-chamber, zifakazela iqiniso lokuthi akakashintshi indlela ayezwelana ngayo namazwi esiJalimane nesiFulentshi. Yebo, ucula kakhulu ngendlela ehluke kakhulu kunaseminyakeni yobusha bakhe bobuciko. Okokuqala, i-timbre "spectrum" yezwi lakhe ishintshile - ibe "mnyama" kakhulu, icebile. Kodwa, njengangaphambili, ubushelelezi, ubuhle bobunjiniyela bomsindo, umuzwa ocashile womdwebi we "fluidity" eguquguqukayo yomugqa wezwi uhlaba umxhwele ngokujulile ... "