We have learned of the death of the French mezzo-soprano Béatrice Uria-Monzon, one of the great Carmens of her day. She owned the role in Paris throughout the 1990s and recorded it with Alain Lombard.
She has been described as the most French of all modern Carmens.
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Awful news. Lovely lady, particularly in recent times and a real pro. RIP, BUM, as she was known in France.
Great in so many roles in addition to Carmen. Her Charlotte in Werther, Didon in Les Troyens and a remarkable Massenet Cleopatre. A wonderful colleague and true woman of the theatre. Beatrice Uria Monzon will be greatly missed.
Beatrice Uria-Monzon was also one of the greatest Princess Ebolu in Verdi’s “Don Carlo”.
How awful!
Great loss and great tristess!
Oh, what a shame. I saw her in the Arias production at the Bastille. Here’s a translation of the Opéra de Paris tribute to her on its website:
The Paris National Opera was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Béatrice Uria-Monzon. An unforgettable interpreter of Carmen, a role she performed several times at the Opéra Bastille in different productions – those of Jose-Luis Gomez and then Alfredo Arias – she left her mark on the role with her rich voice and her commitment to the stage, as well as her nuanced approach to the character, far removed from clichés.
She joined the Opéra’s École d’Art Lyrique and made her debut at the Palais Garnier in 1988 in the role of Fyodor (Boris Godunov). An ambassador for French opera (Marguerite in Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust, Dulcinée in Massenet’s Don Quichotte, Giulietta in Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann), she also played Venus in Tannhäuser, Judith in Le Château de Barbe-Bleue and even Tosca, her mezzo voice evolving towards the soprano register. A fine musician, she made her mark in contemporary music, performing the Countess of Sérizy in the world premiere of Luca Francesconi’s Trompe-la-Mort, then, in 2020, the role of Queen Marguerite in Philippe Boesmans’ Yvonne, Princess of Burgundy.
Her last appearance at the Paris Opera was in 2021 in Marc-André Dabalvie’s Le Soulier de satin, where she played the roles of Dona Honoria, Dona Isabelle and the Nun. With her great artistic rigour and keen theatrical sense, Beatrice Uria-Monzon will be remembered as a demanding, intense and modern singer.
The Paris Opera extends its support to her family and loved ones.
this eve on france TV showing choregie d’orange with her live.
Dr. Lebrecht, respectfully, I think that an article on Nicholas McGegan would be very interesting!