Gilda Cruz-Romo obit

Gilda Cruz-Romo, Soprano Celebrated for Her Power, Dies at 85

Critics praised the natural way she used her voice to inject character into her roles. She had, one wrote, a sound “perfect for Verdi and Puccini.” 

She was not on the list.

Soprano Gilda Cruz-Romo has died at the age of 85.

Cruz-Romo was born on Feb. 12, 1940, in Guadalajara, Jalisco, and went on to study at the Mexico City Conservatory.

In 1962, she made her debut in Mexico City as Ortlinde in “Die Walküre.”

In 1969, she made her New York City Opera debut in “Mefistofele,” launching her international career. The following year, she made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Cio-Cio-San in “Madama Butterfly.” She would perform 160 times until 1984 in such works as “La Forza del Destino,” “Il Trovatore,” “Otello,” “Pagliacci,” “Aida,” “La Traviata,” “Un Ballo in Maschera,” “Don Carlo,” “Manon Lescaut,” “Tosca,” “and “Suor Angelica.”

She also went on to appear in Chicago, Houston, Dallas, San Francisco, New Orleans, Boston, Philadelphia, and Baltimore.

Outside of the United States, Cruz-Romo appeared in Europe at the Royal Opera House and Teatro alla Scala as well as the Wiener Staatsoper, Arena di Verona, Teatro La Fenice, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in Florence, Gran Teatre del Liceu, and Teatro Nacional São Carlos.

Cruz-Romo also had a very active concert and recital repertoire. She, however, did not make any commercial recordings but can be heard in a few live-performance recordings of her best roles.