Oh no.
Another of my favourite sopranos has died.
Edith Mathis, Swiss lyric soprano, was literally 2 days short of her 87th birthday when she passed away on 9th February.
Her voice was gorgeous - a fine light (but never too light) lyric of great purity. Her Mozart singing was sublime; she remains the best Ilia (in Mozart’s opera Idomeneo) that I’ve ever heard. (Here’s a link to one of the arias from that role: https://youtu.be/Uta3AxjXUoo?si=FR8lKtAoOxTUqngj)
There’s an entire generation of very great singers that we are losing. At least, though, people can listen to the recordings to experience the beauty of their voices - something lost for ever when it comes to singers and performers of the 1800s and earlier.
