Obituary for Yvonne Naef (1957–2025)

With Yvonne Naef's passing, we have lost an extraordinary artist and educator whose work had a lasting impact on many people.

Yvonne Naef spent a large part of her life on stage. An internationally active mezzo-soprano, she sang at major opera houses and festivals, including the Metropolitan Opera in New York, La Scala in Milan, the Zurich Opera House, the Opéra Bastille, and the Bayreuth Festival. On stage, her artistic presence unfolded with distinctive authority and clarity. Roles such as Fricka (Die Walküre), Brangäne (Tristan und Isolde), Didon (Les Troyens), and Eboli (Don Carlos) were never mere demonstrations of skill for her, but came to life through her exceptional musicality and creative power. However, her influence extended far beyond the stage and was equally evident in her artistic thinking, her pedagogical work, and her human impact.

Music itself was always at the heart of her musical understanding. For her, singing was not merely an interpretative act, but a conscious engagement with the work, the text, and the moment. She possessed a high level of technical mastery, but never saw this as something that should take center stage. What was crucial for her was the attitude of opening up space for the music and allowing it to take effect. This gave rise to the depth and presence that many found unmistakable.

Yvonne Naef was a figure of authority. Her presence was clear, impressive, and remarkably intense. She didn't need to assert anything or add anything. Her relationship with art was characterized by humility, not in the sense of self-effacement, but as a serious relationship with something greater than oneself.

This attitude also shaped her teaching. Yvonne Naef worked with the whole person, always showing warm affection that was both demanding and supportive, and in which her subtle humor also had its place. For her, sound, language, body, and posture formed an inseparable unity. She knew how to guide the body in such a way that the voice becomes free, and how technique can become a reliable foundation that makes dedication possible in the first place. Her teaching was not aimed at effects, but at authenticity and empowerment.

As a teacher, she set high standards, driven by her respect for art and for the people who entrusted themselves to her. She had a keen eye for development and accompanied many young singers through crucial phases of their artistic and personal development.

Yvonne Naef leaves her mark on voices and lives, and she has inspired many to develop a deep understanding of what it means to devote oneself to music with dedication and sincerity. For many, she became a guiding figure who enabled development and fostered confidence in their own path.

We will miss her as an artist, as a teacher, and as an extraordinary person. We are grateful for everything she has given us.

The SMPV mourns the loss of Yvonne Naef, who was a loyal member of the association for many years and who herself once obtained her teaching diploma from the SMPV.