Obituary: Agnes Geibel Has Passed Away

By Francisco Salazar

German soprano Agnes Giebel has passed away.

The soprano’s family announced that Giebel had died on on April 24 at the age of 95.

Born in Heerlen, Netherlands, she studied at the Folkwang Hochschule in Essen. Her career began in 1947 and quickly became a fixture with the Philharmonia Orchestra under Otto Klemperer and the Leipzig Thomanerchor with Günter Ramin.

Giebel’s repertoire was very varied but it was mostly made up of Cantatas, Oratorios, passions and masses. She was considered one of the greatest interpreters of Bach’s music and was also recognized for interpretations in lieder. She was also well known for her work on Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Her career lasted until the 1990s.

Later in her career, she served as a jury member for Alois Kottmann Award. She retired in the 1990s.

Giebel left numerous recordings including Bach’s Mass in B Minor and Orff’s “Carmina Burana” for EMI. The soprano also recorded Haydn’s “Creation” and Bach Cantatas.

She is survived by her daughter, Kristina Kanders, and her granddaughter, Julia Giebel, are also musicians.

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