Belgian soprano Jodie Devos has died. She died at the age of 35, struggling with breast cancer. She has performed works by Mozart, Rossini and Verdi, among others, in the largest European opera houses. Soprano and conductor Barbara Hannigan wrote: “She was a beautiful artist full of life.” She last performed in April.
Belgian soprano Jodie Devos has died at the age of 35. She struggled with breast cancer. She died in Paris surrounded by her family – according to the Classic FM portal. Devos was born on October 10, 1988 and died on Sunday, June 16.
Over the last ten years, Jodie Devos has sung in many of Europe's leading opera houses, including the Opéra National de Paris and the Opera de Montpellier. She also performed with the bands of the Belgian National Orchestra, the French National Orchestra and the Munich Philharmonic.
The singer completed her master's degree in 2013 at the Royal Academy of Music in London. A year later, she won second prize and the Audience Award at the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Competition in Belgium.
She stood out as a coloratura soprano – the highest female voice. She often performed works by Mozart, Rossini, Donizetti and Verdi. She recorded for the French label Alpha Classics, as well as for Warner Classics.
The opera world says goodbye to Jodie Devos
The soprano's last public performance took place in April this year at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées in Paris. Her death caused a wave of sadness and expressions of appreciation for her talent from the greatest personalities of classical music and opera.
Conductor Dirk Brossé told Belgian news channel VRT: “We have lost one of our greatest Belgian musicians.”
Soprano and conductor Barbara Hannigan wrote: “She was a beautiful artist, full of life, radiant in sound and presence.”
Main photo source: LAURIE DIEFFEMBACQ / Belga Press / Forum