19.12.2025

Machreich Artists mourns the loss of YVONNE NAEF

Machreich Artists mourns the loss of Swiss mezzo-soprano Yvonne Naef, who passed away far too early after a short serious illness.

Highly regarded above all for her interpretations in the late Romantic and dramatic repertoire, she gained international acclaim with roles such as Brangäne (Tristan und Isolde), Kundry (Parsifal), Fricka (Der Ring des Nibelungen), Eboli (Don Carlo) and Mrs Quickly (Falstaff), which she sang at major opera houses including the Opéra de Paris, the Metropolitan Opera New York, the Vienna State Opera, the Hamburg State Opera, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden and renowned festivals such as Bayreuth and Salzburg. She had a particularly long-standing artistic partnership with the Zurich Opera House, where she performed central Verdi and Wagner roles (including Azucena, Ulrica and Kundry) as well as French and Russian repertoire.

In addition to opera, Yvonne also enjoyed a distinguished career on the concert and lied stage. She was in high demand as an interpreter of major orchestral works, such as those by Gustav Mahler and Arnold Schoenberg (including as the Wood Dove in the Gurre-Lieder). Her musical work was characterised by intense textual interpretation, tonal depth and a powerful dramatic presence.

Throughout her career, she worked with the most renowned conductors and orchestras and leaving behind a diverse recording legacy. Since August 2014, Yvonne was also a highly regarded and committed vocal coach at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK), where she has passed on her wealth of stage experience to today's young generation of singers.

Those who had the privilege of meeting her experienced a musician with a sharp mind, great discipline and a keen sense of humour. Yvonne Naef shaped and enriched theatre performance, particularly with her haunting interpretations of Wagner and Mahler, which will echo long after her passing. Her artistic legacy lives on – in memories, recordings and in the quiet gratitude of all those who were moved by her art.