RIP: A mighty soprano has fallen

We have been informed of the death today in Zurich of Edita Gruberova, one of the great coloratura sopranos, at the age of 74. No cause has been disclosed.

Slovak by birth, with a German father and Hungarian mother, Gruberova was nudged towards a conservatory education by her family’s pastor. She made her Bratislava debut in 1968 and conquered Vienna two years later. In all, she bestrode the international stage for half a century, retiring in 2019. Although she sang at Covent Garden and the Met, she was less appreciated by English-speaking audiences. In Munich and Vienna, though, she was Queen.

Her signature roles were Queen of the Night, Zerbinetta, Lucia, Violetta and Rosina. She rated her 1980 Met Violetta, with Carlos Kleiber conducting, as perhaps her finest performance.

She married twice, both times to musicians, both ending in divorce.

She was a formidable stage presence whose force of character overcame any latterday vocal decline.

UPDATE: Singers lead tributes here.

2nd UPDATE: How she died.