Mezzo-soprano Elsbeth Gerritsen ahas died at the age of 53.

Gerritsen studied musicology at Utrecht University and later made her doctoral studies at the Amsterdam Conservatory of Music. There she studied with Margreet Honig.

She went on to perform with the Nederlandse Bachvereniging and became an alto in Quink, a vocal quartet of international renown. She also performed as a soloist in ensembles such as Asko|Schönberg, Camerata Trajectina, Klangart Berlin, and VocaalLAB.

In opera, Gerritsen performed roles such as Miranda in Purcell’s “The Tempest,” the Nourisher in Mussorgsky’s “Boris Godunov,” and in Britten’s “Noye’s Fludde.”

When she died on Dec. 21, the Netherlands Chamber Choir released a statement saying, “Last Saturday, December 21, we received the heartbreaking news that our beloved colleague and singer, Elsbeth Gerritsen, has passed away. Elsbeth had been singing with the Netherlands Chamber Choir since 2007 and became a core member in 2017. A gifted singer with soloist qualities and a deeply cherished love for choral singing. Expressive, highly musical, and an exceptionally talented performer. She was able to sing with us until the very end. The stage was her oxygen. Her elixir. We will miss her deeply and will never forget her. We are grateful that earlier this year, Elsbeth was a guest in our Personal Archives series. In it, she highlights and performs two of her favorite choral pieces.”