Slovak opera singer Edita Gruberová passed away at the age of 74, after half a century of an international career during which she established herself as a benchmark artist, strong in her technique and her soprano power. “We regret to have to announce that the soprano Edita Gruberová has died in Zurich at the age of 74”, Hilbert Artists management agency, Munich, said on Tuesday, October 19, in a press release. The singer, who resided in Switzerland, died Monday, October 18, said the agency.
Known as the “queen of coloratura” for her timbre and vocal agility, this tireless worker has performed all over the world, becoming familiar with the Operas of Bavaria, Vienna, Zurich and Barcelona, where she has given hundreds of performances. of representations. Born on December 23, 1946 in Bratislava, Edita Gruberová 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.
In Vienna, she made her debut 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 nearly 70 times on the Staatsoper stage. The latter paid him a vibrant tribute: Edita Gruberová “was not only a legend, but she also left her mark on this house and its performances in more than 700 shows”, greeted Bogdan Roscic, director of the Vienna Staatsoper in a statement. “Her 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 performance.”
The soprano triumphed notably in the roles of Zerbinetta (Ariadne in Naxos, de Strauss), Rosine (The Barber of Seville, by Rossini) or Lucia (Lucia di Lammermoor, by Donizetti), making his 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 it easy for artistic directors, has always fought for music and emotions to take center stage”, said the cultural assistant of the city of Vienna, Veronica Kaup-Hasler.
Edita Gruberová bid farewell to the Vienna Opera with a gala concert in June 2018, before retiring from the opera scene at the end of 2019.
Edita Gruberová as Zerbinetta in Ariadne à Naxos