Tragic death of rising soprano, 35
RIPWe have been notified of the death today in Paris of Jodie Devos, a Belgian coloratura soprano of international renown. The cause was breast cancer. Jodie was just 35.
Ten years ago she came second in the Queen Elisabeth Competition.
That led to roles at the Opéra Comique in Paris and other companies across France and Belgium. She sang Queen of the Nigvht at the Bastille, Zerbinetta in Montpellier and Ophélie in Thomas’s Hamlet, which she also performed with Louis Langree in Cincinnati. She made several recordings for Alpha Classics.
A Times critic wrote: ‘There’s no top note she can’t reach.’
May her gentle soul rest in peace.
UPDATE: Opera mourns a young star
Didier Martin, director of Alpha Classics, adds:
It is with great sadness and emotion that we announce the death of Jodie Devos. Jodie had been fighting cancer with huge courage for several months. She returned to the stage at the Théâtre des Champs Élysées on 30 April with great determination, but her health condition suddenly worsened a few days ago.
This news, so unreal and so unfair, is deeply shocking for us all. Jodie was only 35 and at the height of her art. We know how much she was loved by her colleagues, the entire music community and, of course, the public.
We are proud to have recorded many albums with her, including three solos. The famous “Offenbach Colorature” was a huge success, winning all the awards from the international press and being voted record of the year 2019 by so many reviewers. Not forgetting the beautiful recital with piano ‘And Love Said…’, an intimate portrait of Jodie, tracing her journey from her native Belgium to England, where she studied, and France, where she settled. She also participated enthusiastically in many other recordings, with musician friends who all praised her immense talent and kindness.
Our sincere condolences to her family and friends.
For her recital ‘And love said…’, recorded with pianist Nicolas Krüger, she decided to record a love song by Freddie Mercury (You Take My Breath Away): ‘I absolutely had to sing this song in this programme, it fitted in perfectly as the theme of love is recurrent here’.
“Anywhere you go, I’ll be right behind you
Right until the ends of the earth
I’ll get no sleep till I find you to tell you
That you just take my breath
Away »
main pic: Marco Borggreve/Intermezzo
Utterly, utterly hideous. Jodie was a lovely girl and marvellous colleague. Sincerest condolences to her family.
I went to Liège expressly to see Devos sing Philine in Mignon a couple of years ago. She was brilliant, and I was blown away. This comes as a shock and is a terrible loss.
Such tragic news. She was a wonderful artist. RIP.
Such a vivid reminder of the truism that life isn’t fair.
lovely voice. may her blessed spirit sing on in the eternal heavenly choir.
What a terrific and unfair loss. Et rose elle a vécu ce que vivent les roses,
L’espace d’un matin…
Could something perhaps explain, why young women are dying of breast cancer more often than before?
Patricia Janečková, with many gems on youtube, died at 25.
Dr. John Campbell on his youtube channel is interested in the documented evidence. The mass media are not. You must not question certain government policies…
It may or may not be relevant, but excess deaths have spiked since 2022.
It’s relevant!
as a medical professional i blame it on ultra processed foods (including the so-called impossible vegan hot dogs and burgers) consumed by today’s young people, plus the fact that their breast tissues are denser and harder to screen…often too late when diagnosed.
Are you serious?
https://x.com/BlackBondPtv/status/1801593965629657435?t=hLFLo2o9IIB6-YzOLzpqfA&s=19
Terrifying loss, so suddenly. Makes one wonder if she was so absorbed by her career that she wasn’t paying attention to her health.
She’s also in a lockdown-era L’enfant et les Sortileges with Mikko Frank conducting – on youtube.
How how tragic and how sad to hear of the death of his young woman who had such. a beautiful voice may she rest in peace.
My heart goes to family and prayers