Soprano Jacqueline Van Quaille passed away on Oct. 16. She was 88 years old.

Van Quaille was born in Gentbrugge, Belgium, on Oct. 6, 1938. She studied singing with Madame Teugels and lyric theatre with Karel Locufier at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Ghent. After completing her studies in 1957, she began performing with the West Flemish Operetta Company in Kortrijk and Roeselare, as well as at the Royal Opera in Ghent.

In 1958, she made her debut as Pamina at the Royal Opera in Ghent, a role that would soon become her signature. Here, she also frequently performed in “Guillaume Tell,” “Otello,” “La Traviata,”  “La Forza del Destino,” “La Fanciulla del West,” and the title role in “Tosca.” She also performed in many operettas in Ghent, including “Das Land des Lächelns,” “Die Lustige Witwe,” and “Der Zigeunerbaron.” Later, Van Quaille performed in opera houses in France, Germany, Austria, Italy, New York City.

Later in her career, Van Quaille taught at the Music Academy in Ghent and privately. She also founded her own operetta company, “Aruna.” She also appeared in film adaptations of “Tristan und Isolde” (1970), Offenbach’s “Orpheus in the Underworld” (1997), and “Eugène Onéguine” (2002).

Van Quaille had three children. No arrangements have been made public at this time.