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The Belgian mezzo-soprano, Jeanne Deroubaix, was born to a Walloon father and to a mother of Flemish-Spanish descent. She was educated in Brussels, and first attracted attention in the vocal ensemble 'Pro Musica', which was founded by Stafford Cape and devoted to the interpretation of early music. In 1947-1953 she undertook with this ensemble major concert tours, including Germany, Italy and Spain.
Jeanne Deroubaix specialized in Baroque music; on the other hand she was regarded as an outstanding interpreter of modern works. Her recitals, in which she performed both German romantic Lieder and songs of French Impressionists, brought her a successful acclaim across Europe. On stage, she has appeared only rarely; so she sang in 1960 at the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels, Messagera and Nymphe in performances of Monteverdi's Orfeo. In 1957 she became Professor at the Musikhochschule of Detmold. In 1958 she sang in the premiere of Igor Stravinsky's Lamentations in Venice, and later she created the Cantata in Basel. She was an excellent interpreter of composers like Arnold Schoenberg (Pierrot Lunaire) and Pierre Boulez.
Her recordings were released mainly under the label of Decca, including Lieder by Johannes Brahms. On CR she sang the alto solo at the Missa Solemnis of L.v. Beethoven, on DGG in Orfeo by Monteverdi, on Harmonia Mundi in Le Marteau sans maître by Pierre Boulez, also on Columbia. |
