Edita Gruberova

Born: 1946-12-23

Edita Gruberová (23 December 1946 – 18 October 2021) was a Slovak coloratura soprano. She made her stage debut in Bratislava in 1968 as Rosina in Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia, and successfully auditioned at the Vienna State Opera the following year, which became her base. She received international recognition for roles such as Mozart's Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflöte and Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos by Richard Strauss. In her later career, she explored heavier roles in the Italian bel canto repertoire, such as the title role in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, and Elvira in Bellini's I puritani. In 2019, she portrayed Elisabetta in Donizetti's Roberto Devereux, who leaves her throne, concluding a stage career performing leading roles over 51 years. She is remembered as the "Slowakische Nachtigall" (Slovak Nightingale), and as prima donna assoluta. Edita Gruberová was born on 23 December 1946 in Rača, Bratislava, to a German father and a Hungarian mother. As an anti-communist, her father survived a five-year prison sentence for treason. Her father drank and she developed a close relationship with her mother. She sang in a school choir and in the children's choir of the broadcaster. The pastor of the parish where she prepared for Confirmation accompanied her when she sang solos at church, and prepared her in piano playing to pass the exam to enter the conservatory. Gruberová began her musical studies at the Bratislava Conservatory (Konzervatórium v Bratislave), where she was a student of Mária Medvecká. She then continued at the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava (VŠMU). While studying there, she was a singer of the Lúčnica folk ensemble and appeared several times in the Slovak National Theatre. She would later study with Ruthilde Boesch in Vienna. In 1968, Gruberová made her operatic debut at the National Theatre in Bratislava as Rosina in Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia. After winning a singing competition in Toulouse, she was then engaged as a soloist of the opera ensemble of the J. G. Tajovský Theatre in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, from 1968 to 1970. Among her roles was Eliza Doolittle in Loewe's musical My Fair Lady. Since communist Czechoslovakia was going through normalisation, during which the borders to non-communist countries were closed, Medvecká surreptitiously arranged for an audition for Gruberová at the Vienna State Opera in the summer of 1969. She was immediately engaged, and made her breakthrough the following year when she appeared as the Queen of the Night in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte. In 1971, Gruberová decided to emigrate to the West. She became a member of the Vienna State Opera in 1972, where she was only given secondary and supporting roles in her early years. She was invited to perform at many of the most important opera houses in the world, especially in coloratura roles. Gruberová made her debut at Glyndebourne in 1973 as the Queen of the Night. She became an Austrian citizen in 1974. ... Source: Article "Edita Gruberová" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.


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Norma

as Norma
Released: 2007-01-02

This new production of Bellinis Norma by Jürgen Rose (sets, costumes, stage direction, and...

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Verdi: Rigoletto

as Gilda
Released: 1982-01-24

Rigoletto is a jester in the court of the Duke of Mantua. He has a hunch-back and he's rather...

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A Christmas Celebration: Send Round the Song

as Self - Singer
Released: 1992-12-01

Tony Randall and some children, filmed in Connecticut, provide the framework of the history of...

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The Magic Flute

as Königin der Nacht
Released: 1982-08-01

Mozart’s “The Magic Flute”

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Don Giovanni

as Donna Anna
Released: 1987-12-01

Live from Teatro alla Scala 1987.

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Hänsel und Gretel

as Gretel
Released: 1981-01-01

Engelbert Humperdinck's beloved musical fairy tale HÄNSEL UND GRETEL is brought to life by Sir...

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The Art of Belcanto

as Self
Released: 2009-03-08

Edita Gruberova, prima donna assoluta of the bel canto community. But what is the nature of bel...

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Così fan tutte

as Fiordiligi
Released: 1989-01-01

Nikolaus Harnoncourt conducts the Wiener Philharmoniker in this filmed studio performance of...

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Manon Lescaut

as Manon
Released: 1983-12-28

The sets and costumes by Ponnelle are truly reflective of the 'grand style'. Plus the fact that...

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The Magic Flute

as Kõnigen der Nacht
Released: 1983-07-02

The Queen of the Night enlists a handsome prince named Tamino to rescue her beautiful kidnapped...

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Lucrezia Borgia

as Donna Lucrezia Borgia
Released: 2009-07-01

Live from Munich 2009

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Linda di Chamounix

as Linda
Released: 1996-01-01

Acclaimed soprano Edita Gruberova stars as the title character in this 1996 production of...

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Die Entführung aus dem Serail

as Konstanze
Released: 1980-05-05

Production of Mozart's opera about the Spanish nobleman who seeks to rescue his beloved...

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Beatrice di Tenda

as Beatrice di Tenda
Released: 2002-01-01

Live performance from the Zurich Opera House, January 2002.

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Verdi La Traviata

as Violetta
Released: 1992-08-14

This set has Edita Gruberova singing in top form, all her scooping cast aside, which one finds...

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Strauss: Die Fledermaus

as Adele
Released: 1980-12-31

Theodor Guschlbauer conducts the Chorus and Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera in this lavish...

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Strauss: Ariadne Auf Naxos

as Zerbinetta
Released: 2007-10-01

Opera in one act with prologue. Based on the production of the Vienna State Opera by Filippo...

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I Puritani

as Lady Elvira Valton
Released: 2011-09-27

Edita Gruberova, Jose Bros, and Carlos Alvarez star in this Teatre del Liceu production of the...

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Le monde est à vous

as Self
First aired: 1987-09-13

TV Show page