B6 EZ RE THE WASHINGTON POST.MONDAY, OCTOBER 25 , 2021
obituaries
BY EMILY LANGEREdita Gruberova, a soprano
who reigned over world opera
stages for decades, dazzling audi-
ences with her shimmering pia-
nissimos and vocal pyrotechnics
in the works of composers includ-
ing Donizetti, Verdi and Richard
Strauss, died Oct. 18 in Zurich.
She was 74.
She suffered an accidental
head injury, according to the Mu-
nich-based agency Hilbert Artists
Management.
In a career that lasted more
than half a century, from her
debut in her native Bratislava, in
what is now Slovakia, until her
retirement last year, Ms. Gru-
berova became recognized as “a
spectacularly accomplished colo-
ratura soprano and one of the
most beloved stars of her genera-
tion,” in the description of an
obituary published in Opera
News.
Ms. Gruberova sang in the
world’s leading opera houses, in-
cluding the Metropolitan Opera
in New York, La Scala in Milan
and London’s R oyal Opera House
at Covent Garden. But she was
best known for her association
with the Vienna State Opera,
where she debuted in 1970 as the
Queen of the Night in Mozart’s
“The Magic Flute,” and where she
returned for dozens if not hun-
dreds of performances before a
farewell concert in 2018.
She built a career character-
ized by variety as well as longevi-
ty, with a repertoire that encom-
passed the 18th-century works of
Mozart; the bel canto canon of
Rossini, Bellini and Donizetti;
Italian warhorses such as “La
Traviata”; and German standards
such as “Ariadne auf Naxos” by
Strauss.
“My God, if only Strauss had
heard your Zerbinetta!” Karl
Böhm once remarked to her, ac-
cording to the Vienna State Op-
era, which noted that the Austri-
an conductor “was not exactly
prone to praise.”
Zerbinetta, a principal female
role in “Ariadne auf Naxos,” was
one of Ms. Gruberova’s most cel-
ebrated parts. Others included
the title role of Donizetti’s “Lucia
di Lammermoor,” the fragile her-
oine whose descent into insanity
provides a dramatic showcase for
the soprano in the opera’s “mad
scene.”
Ms. Gruberova’s most famous
predecessors as Lucia included
such stars as Maria Callas and
Joan Sutherland. Octavio Roca, a
music critic then writing for the
Washington Times, declared in
1993 that Ms. Gruberova was
“without doubt the finest inter-
preter of Donizetti’s mad heroine
singing today.”
In other bel canto roles, she
distinguished herself as Rosina in
Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville”
and Elvira in Bellini’s “I Puritani.”
She braved Donizetti’s Tudor
queens trilogy, singing the title
roles of “Anna Bolena” (Anne
Boleyn) and “Maria Stuarda”
(Mary Stuart) and the part of
Elizabeth I in “Roberto De-
vereux.”Ms. Gruberova found a calling
card in Verdi’s “La Traviata,” a
tragedy about a self-sacrificing
courtesan who discovers true love
just as she expires from consump-
tion.
Her “limpid trills and trans-
parent pianissimos in all regis-
ters are models of the bel canto
approach to coloratura singing,”
Frederick M. Winship, a critic for
United Press International, wrote
in 1989. “She can also build her
voice to grand, rapturous climax-
es as haunting in their dramatic
power as those produced by great
Violettas of recent memory —
Maria Callas, Joan Sutherland,and Montserrat Caballe.”
Such was Ms. Gruberova’s af-
finity for the role that she re-
turned to it at age 64, more than
four decades after she had first
sung Violetta’s cherished arias in
a small theater in Czechoslovakia.
“I love Violetta as much as ever,”
she told the Associated Press in
2010, amid performances of the
opera in Germany and Austria.
The tenor who played her love
interest, Alfredo, was roughly
half her age — but no matter.
“I think the more experiences
you gather in life that you can
transfer into music, into song, the
better,” she remarked. “And my
voice is still there.”
Edita Gruberova was born in
Bratislava on Dec. 23, 1946, the
daughter of a German father and
Hungarian mother. “Singing al-
ways comforted me. My mother
liked singing, too, and from her I
inherited the voice,” Ms. Grubero-
va once said, according to the
Czech News Agency.
She studied at a c onservatory
in Bratislava before debuting in
that city in “The Barber of Seville”
in 1968. Her Met debut came in
1977, as the Queen of the Night.
“Miss Gruberova’s voice is not
big, but neither is it of the pallid,
chirping kind sometimes associ-
ated with coloraturas,” Allen
Hughes wrote in a New York
Times review. “It had enough
edge in this first New York ap-
pearance to assert itself over the
orchestra, and that alone provid-
ed a semblance of dramatic im-
pact.”
In addition to her long associa-tion with the Vienna State Opera,
Ms. Gruberova performed over
the years at the Glyndebourne,
Salzburg and Bayreuth festivals,
as well with the Bavarian State
Opera in Munich and the Zurich
Opera House, among many oth-
ers. She stopped singing only last
year amid the shuttering of thea-
ters around the world because of
the coronavirus pandemic.
Ms. Gruberova’s marriage to
Stefan Klimo ended in divorce,
and she was separated from her
partner Friedrich Haider.
Survivors include two daugh-
ters from her marriage, Klaudia
Klimo and Barbara Klimo, both of
Zurich, and three grandchildren.
In addition to her extensive
discography, Ms. Gruberova ap-
peared as Gilda in director Jean-
Pierre Ponnelle’s film version of
“Rigoletto,” which also featured
tenor Luciano Pavarotti as the
lecherous Duke of Mantua and
baritone Ingvar Wixell as Gilda’s
father, the hunchbacked jester
desperate to shelter her from the
evils of the world.
Ms. Gruberova once confessed
that if the applause after a per-
formance lasted less than 20 min-
utes, “it bothers me.” Many fans
gladly obliged. During a 2011 per-
formance of “Anna Bolena” at
Barcelona’s Gran Teatre del Li-
ceu, audience members in the
balcony lowered a banner that
read “Edita, La Regina” — “Edita,
the Queen.” The curtain calls,
according to an account in the
Associated Press, went on for
more than 20 minutes.
[email protected]EDITA GRUBEROVA, 74
Soprano reigned over opera stages
MICHAL KRUMPHANZL/CTK/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Soprano Edita Gruberova, s een performing at the Prague Proms festival in 2016, built a c areer
characterized by variety as well as longevity, dazzling audiences for more than half a century.“My God, if only Strauss
had heard your
Zerbinetta!”
Conductor Karl Böhm, remarking on
Ms. Gruberova’s performance in
“Ariadne auf Naxos”Seattle and Milwaukee.
He helped the Athletics win the
World Series in 1973 and 1974 and
had a career batting average of
.256 with 61 home runs.
After his playing days were
do ne, Mr. Fosse became a popular
broadcaster for the A’s beginning
in 1986. He was a color commenta-
tor on both radio and television
before retiring early in the 2021
season.
“Few people epitomize what it
means to be an Athletic more than
Ray,” the team said in a statement.
“He was the type of franchise icon
who always made sure every play-
er, coach, colleague, and fan knew
that they were part of the A’s fam-
ily.”
In addition to his wife, survivors
include two daughters.
Mr. Fosse told the Associated
Press in 2015 th at he had pain and
arthritis, endured five knee sur-
geries, had two bum shoulders he
never had fixed and a stiff neck. He
recognized that the injuries were
not entirely the result of Rose’s
blow at the All-Star Game but also
came from the rigors of being a
catcher.
“My body hurts. My shoulder
still hurts,” he said. “There was not
anybody at the time to say, ‘Don’t
play.’ I continued. That’s some-
thing that I take with a lot of pride.”
Two days after the 1970 All-Star
Game, Mr. Fosse caught nine in-
nings in a win at Kansas City. He
couldn’t lift his left arm above his
head.
“There have been some harder
hits,” Mr. Fosse said. “Just the fact
it was an All-Star Game, they al-
ways vote on the All-Star Game
highlights or lowlights, and that
always seems to be at the top that
people talk about.”
[email protected]FROM NEWS SERVICES
AND STAFF REPORTSRay Fosse, a strong-armed
catcher and two-time all-star who
was on the receiving end of one of
the most famous home-plate colli-
sions in baseball history when he
was bowled over by Pete Rose at
the 1970 All-Star Game, died Oct.- He was 74.
Carol Fosse, his wife of 51 years,
said in a statement online that her
husband died after a 16-year bout
with cancer. He lived in Northern
California and had retired after 35
years as an announcer with the
Oakland Athletics.
Mr. Fosse was a budding talent
for Cleveland when he made his
first all-star team as a 23-year-old
in 1970. That year, he hit .307 with
a career-high 18 homers and won
the fir st of t wo Gold Gloves while
throwing out 55 percent of at-
tempted base stealers.
Rose barreled over Mr. Fosse to
score the winning run in the 12th
inning of the game at Cincinnati’s
Riverfront Stadium. Mr. Fosse ’s
left shoulder was fractured and
separated; he told the Associated
Press in 2015 that his body still
ached 45 years later.
“As much as it’s shown, I don’t
have to see it on TV as a replay to
know what happened,” he said.
“It’s fresh.”
Raymond Earl Fosse was born
April 4, 1947, in Marion, Ill. He was
a first-round draft pick by Cleve-
land in 1965 and made his major
league debut in 1967. His first full
year in the majors came in 1970,
followed by a second all-star sea-
son in 1971, when he won another
Gold Glove for his outstanding
work behind the plate. He retired
in 1979 after playing parts of 12
seasons with Cleveland, Oakland,
RAY FOSSE, 74All-star catcher bowled
over in famous c ollision
JEFF CHIU/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ray Fosse, seen in 2015, said his body still ached 45 years after Pete
Rose ran into him full-force at the plat e in the 1970 All-Star Game.BY TEO ARMUSFour candidates are compet-
ing for one seat on the Arlington
County Board, a job that will
require them to grapple with
difficult questions related to
growth, development and justice
in this Northern Virginia county
of about 240,000.
Takis Karantonis (D), who
won a s pecial election last year to
fill the seat of the late Erik
Gutshall, is running for a full
term. After winning a J une pri-
mary challenge, he is now facing
three independent candidates:
Mike Cantwell, Audrey Clement
and Adam Theo.
Because board members in
Arlington serve rotating four-
year terms, the seat is the only
one up for election this year on
the five-member board.
If elected, the winner will join
other county lawmakers in re-
viewing design and transit plans
for Amazon’s second headquar-
ters — which is set to bring in at
least 25,000 employees to the
Crystal City area — and selecting
members for a new civilian
group tasked with the oversight
of police conduct.
Arlington is also embarking
on its study of “missing middle”
housing and preparing to rezone
Langston Boulevard, two issues
that will probably further ani-
mate debates on density and
affordable housing in a f ormer
bedroom community that has
transformed into an urban pow-
erhouse of its own.
Unlike their neighbors in D.C.
or other Virginia localities, Ar-
lington residents do not vote
directly on the board’s chair.
That title rotates through all five
elected officials, each of whom
presides over the body for one
year.
Although Democrats have
maintained a majority on the
board for decades, it’s not un-
heard of for others to break
through: John Vihstadt, an inde-
pendent, pulled an upset victory
in 2014.
The Washington Post contact-
ed all four candidates to ask
about their backgrounds, cam-
paigns and priorities if elected to
office. The following profiles are
based on candidates’ answers
and have been edited for space
and clarity.Mike Cantwell (I)
Cantwell, 57, is a federal em-
ployee and civic association
president who says the county
must slow urbanization, rebuild
its aging infrastructure and re-
lieve crowded schools. He said
he’s opposed to giving subpoena
and investigatory powers to “un-
trained volunteers” on the civil-
ian police review board, and he
refuses endorsements from po-
litical parties or public-sector
unions. He lives in Yorktown.
Why are you running for
County Board?
I’ve led a l ifetime of service,
first as a naval of ficer and now as
a community leader. Serving oth-
ers is part of my identity.
What would be your top pri-
ority in elected office?
My top priority will be to bring
an independent voice to the
County Board. We need leaders
who are unconstrai ned by politi-
cal promises or partisan ties.
What policy stances distin-
guish you from your oppo-
nents?
I’m a true independent, and
I’ve never been affiliated with a
political party. If I am elected, I
will focus on core service, curb
rapid urbanization, support
small businesses by lowering
taxes and increase fiscal over-
sight.Audrey Clement (I)
Clement, 52, works as a s oft-
ware developer and says Arling-
ton is growing at an unsustain-
able pace for a c ounty of its size.
She cites her experience serving
on the county’s transportation
commission for the past year. She
lives in Westover.
Why are you running for
County Board?
As an advocate of good govern-
ment, I want to end one-party
rule of Arlington County by elect-
ing an independent to the board.
What would be your top pri-
ority in elected office?
I will stop efforts to upzonesingle-family-home neighbor-
hoods under the rubric of “miss-
ing middle” housing. I will also
provide tax relief for residents
and businesses.
What policy stances distin-
guish you from your oppo-
nents?
I am a f iscal conservative, a
social liberal and staunch envi-
ronmentalist. I am the only can-
didate who criticized Takis
Karantonis for joining the Ar-
lington County Board in permit-
ting the demolition of the histor-
ic Rouse estate and denying his-
toric designation for the Civil
War landmark site.Takis Karantonis (D)
Karantonis, 57, is an econo-
mist and small-business mi-
crol oan adviser. The former exec-
utive director of the Columbia
Pike Revitalization Organiza-
tion, he has served on county
commissions related to planning
and housing. Karantonis says
Amazon has been keeping its
promises to the community and
emphasizes the importance of
transit-oriented development.
He lives in Columbia Heights.Why are you running for
County Board?
I am running because I pas-
sionately believe in the impor-
tance of local governance. I w ant
to shape Arlington’s future so
that it works for all and leaves no
one behind.
What would be your top pri-
ority in elected office?
Providing housing choices for
all. Accelerating our local cli-
mate crisis response. An eco-
nomic development focus on the
small-business economy. Long-
term planning with equitable
citizen participation. Investing
in public transit, cycling and
pedestrian infrastructure.
What policy stances distin-
guish you from your oppo-
nents?
I’m not a f air-weather candi-date. I first was elected during a
pandemic when difficult deci-
sions had to be made. I b ring the
experience and the vision in
planning, economic develop-
ment, housing, transportation,
the environment. For everything
I sa y, I c an show the work that
fuels my passion to shape our
future.Adam Theo (I)
Theo, 42, works as a communi-
cations consultant, video pro-
ducer and political organizer. He
points to his experience in hous-
ing activism, serving on the
county’s civic federation and
chairing the Libertarian Party of
Northern Virginia. Theo opposes
subsidies for Amazon and thinks
the civilian review board has
been “hobbled and watered
down.” He lives in Ballston.
Why are you running for
County Board?
I am running for County Board
to bring fiscal responsibility to
Arlington’s government with
lower taxes and better spending
priorities that focus on public
safety, an d to fight for “missing
middle” and affordable housing.
What would be your top pri-
ori ty in elected office?
In the first year, “missing mid-
dle” housing and housing re-
form. Overall, I w ant to prioritize
public safety with smarter
spending.
What policy stances distin-
guish you from your oppo-
nents?
I’m fiscally responsible by low-
ering property and business tax-
es and restraining spending;
pro-development and major
housing reform; and am a cham-
pion for civil rights, liberties and
justice. This is a combination
that fits Arlington perfectly, but
one that no other candidate has.
[email protected]VIRGINIA
Meet the four candidates running for one Arlington County Board seat
J ULIE MONTICELLO LLOYD WOLFCLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Mike Cantwell (I); Takis
Karantonis (D); Audrey Clement (I); and Adam Theo (I).ALEX S. JAMIE GARDNER PHOTOGRAPHYAlthough Democrats
have maintained a
majority on the board
for decades, it’s not
unheard of for others to
break through.