Soprano Jill Gomez has died at the age of 83.

Born in New Amsterdam, British Guiana (now Guyana), Gomez studied at the St. Joseph’s Convent (Port of Spain) in Trinidad and dominating at the islands’ biennial Music Festival. She then moved to England at 13, where she studied voice and piano at London’s Royal Academy of Music and Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Following graduation, Gomez made her debut at Glyndebourne where she twice won the John Christie Award, making her solo operatic debut as Adina in Donizetti’s “L’elisir d’amore” with the Glyndebourne Touring Opera in 1968.

In 1968, she also performed at Ledlanet Nights and in 1970 she created the role of Flora in “The Knot Garden” at the Royal Opera House.

Gomez went on to perform at major international houses and festivals including Aldeburgh Festival, English National Opera, Scottish Opera, Oper Frankfurt, Kent Opera, Glyndebourne, Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux, Wexford, Berlioz Festival in Lyon, and Kent Opera.

The soprano was outspoken about the “international opera circus” and had no ambition to sing at the largest houses, preferring smaller venues such as Zürich where there is sufficient rehearsal time.

Throughout her career she performed several opera including “La traviata,” The Turn of the Screw,” “Eugene Onegin,” “The Magic Flute,” “Cosi fan tutte,” and “Cosi fan tutte.” She also created the lead role of the Duchess of Argyll in “Powder Her Face.”