Jennifer Holbrook, one of the most talented vocal artists to emerge from the Peabody Institute over the past decade, died Tuesday in Philadelphia. The soprano was 30.
The singer's friends I contacted, as well as a Peabody spokesperson, did not provide the cause of death.
There has been an outpouring of shock and sympathy on the Facebook page of Ms. Holbrook's partner, William Davenport, another exceptional singer who studied at Peabody. The couple left quite a mark on that conservatory. In addition to Mr. Davenport, the soprano is survived by their 2-year-old daughter, Eleanor.
If you heard the poised and charming Ms. Holbrook sing the title role in Peabody Opera Theatre's production of Massenet's "Manon," or heard her spin golden tonal threads in the "Dulcissime" solo in Orff's "Carmina Burana" with Concert Artists of Baltimore and Peabody forces -- to cite just two examples from the past few years -- you will know how much talent has been so prematurely, so unfortunately silenced.