"
We regret to have to announce that the soprano Edita Gruberova has died in Zurich at the age of 74
," said the Hilbert Artists management agency in Munich in a statement.
The soprano, who was residing in Switzerland, died on Monday, the agency said.
Known as the "
queen of coloratura
" for her timbre and vocal agility, this tireless worker has performed all over the world, becoming familiar with Operas in Bavaria, Vienna, Zurich and Barcelona, where she has given hundreds of performances. of representations.
Born in Bratislava, Edita Gruberova had trained in several choirs and at the conservatory of the Slovak city, before arriving in the Austrian capital where her career had truly been launched in 1970. She had made her debut there in
The Magic Flute
, by Mozart, interpreting the Queen of the Night, which will become one of her favorite roles and which she will perform almost 70 times on the Staatsoper stage.
The latter paid her a vibrant tribute: Edita Gruberova "
was not only a legend, but she also left her mark on this house and its representations in more than 700 shows
", greeted Bogdan Roscic, director of the Vienna Staatsoper. in a press release. “
His much-vaunted vocal perfection was never an end in itself, but always in the service of an uncompromising devotion to music and its best possible interpretation
,” he said.
The soprano has triumphed in particular in the roles of Zerbinetta (
Ariane à Naxos
, de Strauss), Rosine (
The Barber of Seville
, by Rossini) or Lucia (
Lucia di Lammermoor
, by Donizetti), making her interpretations “
points of reference for future generations
”and“
key moments of human expression
”, according to the Staatsoper. "
This combative diva, who has not always made the task of artistic directors easier, has always fought for music and emotions to take center stage,
" paid tribute to the assistant to the culture of the city of Vienna, Veronica Kaup-Hasler.
She bid farewell to the Vienna Opera with a gala concert in June 2018, before retiring from the opera scene at the end of 2019.