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Tag: Soprano

Edita Gruberová Legendary Soprano RIP

Eerie. I only just mentioned the Slovak soprano Edita Gruberová in my birthday salute to Wynton Marsalis this morning. Now I learn she is dead at the age of 74.

Early on, Gruberová was celebrated for her Queen of the Night (“The Magic Flute”) and Zerbinetta (“Ariadne auf Naxos”). Later, she graduated to heavier, bel canto roles, like Lucia di Lammermoor and Elvira (“I puritani”). Her last operatic appearance, in March 2019, was as another specialty, Elisabetta I (“Roberto Devereux”).

Further performances had been scheduled through 2020, but these were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Gruberová sang in concert for the last time in December 2019.

Here she is in music by Purcell, from the Grammy Award winning album mentioned in my post this morning:

As the Queen of the Night:

As Zerbinetta:

More about Gruberová here:

Obituary: Legendary Soprano Edita Gruberová Dies at 74

R.I.P.

October 18, 2021
Mirella Freni Soprano Dies at 84

Golden Era soprano Mirella Freni has died. A childhood friend of Luciano Pavarotti, the two actually shared the same wet nurse, as both their mothers worked in a cigarette factory. The children even sometimes wore identical clothing. Later, of course, they would be teamed in the opera house and on recordings.

Freni won acclaim early with her radiant singing as Mimi, Micaëla, Nanetta, and Susanna. By the early ‘70s, she began tackling some of the heavier roles, such as Desdemona and Aida. Even so, she was realistic about how much stress her voice could handle, and she selected her roles carefully.

In the early ‘80s, she married Bulgarian bass Nicolai Ghiaurov, her second husband. He encouraged her to expand her repertoire to include Russian roles. She went on to become a notable Tatyana in Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin.”

Freni was 84 years-old. In an afternoon in which I’ll also remember Leontyne Price and Cesare Siepi on their birthdays (to say nothing of film composer Jerry Goldsmith, on his), I’ll celebrate Freni’s artistry, from 4 to 7 p.m. EST, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.

February 10, 2020
Deborah Cook, Philadelphia Soprano, Dies at 80

The Philadelphia-born soprano Deborah Cook has died.

Cook made her debut with the Philadelphia Lyric Opera Company at the Academy of Music in 1965. Her international debut followed in 1971. She appeared at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, for the first time in 1976. Thereafter, her career was focused primarily in Germany, which became her base of operations, though she continued to tour Europe and the United States.

With her marriage in 1985, she returned to the U.S. and took the position of executive secretary for the head of oncology at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She must have had a total lack of ego to just walk away like that (she would have been about 46 years-old), though she did keep an oar in as a teacher of voice at Haverford College, Bryn Mawr College, and Westtown School.

Cook received particular acclaim for her revival of Meyerbeer’s “Dinorah,” which she recorded, and appeared on Solti’s recording of “Ariadne auf Naxos,” with Leontyne Price, in the supporting role of Naiad. Deborah Cook is not to be confused with Barbara Cook, the musical theater singer, who died in 2017. She was 80 years-old.

A more complete obituary here:

https://www.penbaypilot.com/article/deborah-cook-marlowe-obituary/117224

Deborah Cook as “Dinorah:”

May 2, 2019
Heather Harper Soprano Dead at 88

News of the death of soprano Heather Harper has been fanning out across British media since her passing on Monday at the age of 88, and obituaries are now beginning to appear on our shores.

Harper, who is closely identified with the works of Benjamin Britten, is probably best known for having stepped in for Galina Vishnevskaya, when the latter was unable to obtain permission from the Soviet authorities to sing in the premiere of Britten’s “War Requiem.” (Vishnevskaya does, however, appear on the classic recording.) The other soloists on that occasion were Peter Pears and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. Britten’s requiem was presented to mark the consecration of the reconstructed Coventry Cathedral. The original 14th century structure was destroyed by bombing in World War II.

Harper also sang in André Previn’s classic recording of Vaughan Williams’ “Pastoral Symphony.” Her other achievements are layed out in this appreciation in the Washington Post.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/heather-harper-versatile-british-operatic-soprano-dies-at-88/2019/04/24/4828423c-65e3-11e9-8985-4cf30147bdca_story.html?utm_term=.9512aac40924

April 25, 2019
Montserrat Caballé Remembered on WWFM

The late Montserrat Caballé gets double-smooched by Danny Kaye and Luciano Pavarotti. Caballé, one of the great sopranos, died on Saturday at the age of 85. Tune in to hear her recording of Enrique Granados’ “Canciones amatorias,” settings of Spanish Renaissance love poems, this afternoon in the 4:00 hour EDT, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.

October 8, 2018

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