Jill Gomez

Attractive in appearance and of pleasing voice, soprano Jill Gomez achieved success in her early career in a variety of lyric roles. Surprisingly, the most unreserved acclaim came much later in life when she portrayed the debauched Duchess in Thomas Adès' Powder Her Face, a role that revealed a new dramatic power allied with a still-viable voice. Even before she became a center of renewed attention for the Duchess, Gomez had won the hearts of many for her series of smart and sophisticated cabaret programs later preserved on recording. Gomez died in August 2026, at the age of 83.