  
| She was already playing violin as a child, but she went on to study law at the University of Freiburg and completed her exams before beginning vocal studies at the Music College of Freiburg under Ines Leuwen. She had her first success in the State Theater there in 1971 in what was her real stage debut as the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro (after making her first appearance on a stage in the theater in Osnabrück). The artist's career took off from there. In 1973, she became a member of the Deutsche Oper am Rhein Düsseldorf-Duisburg, and she was also a member of the Opera in Frankfurt am Main starting in 1974. In Düsseldorf, she had great successes as Agathe in Freischütz and as Marie in Wozzeck in 1976. Her glittering guest appearances at the opera companies in Zurich (1975) and in Munich, at the Vienna State Opera (including Marie in 1987), and the Teatro San Carlos in Lisbon led to her recognition as one of the most talented Wagner singers in her artistic generation. Her portrayal of Salome under Herbert von Karajan caused a huge sensation at the Salzburg Festival. In 1979 she sang Ariadne there and in 1996 she appeared as Elektra. She was asked to appear at the Metropolitan Opera very early in her career and made her debut there in 1975 as Giorgetta in Il tabarro. In 1983 she shined as Elettra in Idomeneo and then again in 1985 as Marie. She also sang Tosca there and in 1990 portrayed Brünnhilde and Salome; Leonore in Fidelio followed in 1991 along with Elektra in 1992. During 1983-85 she had no less of a success at the Bayreuth Festival as Brünnhilde. She started making guest appearances at Covent Garden in London in 1975. She sang Elektra at the Paris Grand Opéra in 1987 and in the same year she also sang the final scene from Salome for the dedication of the new opera house in Houston, Texas. In 1988 Munich heard her Emilia Marty in Vec Makropoulos. She appeared as Senta at the Savonlinna Festival in Finland in 1989. In 1992, she appeared at the New Music Auditorium (Megaron Mousikis Athenon) in Athens as Elektra. For the Vienna State Opera, she sang Brünnhilde in Die Walküre with Placido Domingo in 1992. She also participated in the first Chilean performances of Siegfried at the Santiago Opera in 1996. On November 10, 1996, she sang Isolde in the opening performance of the rebuilt Prinzregen Theater in Munich. She is married to the director Seth Schneidtmann. Recordings: HMV-Electrola (Salome, Guercoeur by A.Magnard), Decca (Fidelio, Freischütz, Frau ohne Schatten, Fliegende Holländer), Philips (Tristan, Elektra), DGG ( Die Walküre, Wozzeck, Götterdämmerung), Teldec (Hänsel und Gretel); Virgin (Wozzeck, also on video), Teldec-Video (Fliegende Holländer), Pioneer-Video (Wozzeck). |
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