Irmgard Seefried

Irmgard Seefried ( born October 9, 1919 in Köngetried at Mindelheim, † November 24, 1988 in Vienna) was a German lyric soprano who enjoyed both as an opera singer as well as song worldwide fame. She was married to the Austrian violinist Wolfgang Schneiderhan with which they played many songs and concert evenings.

Life

Irmgard Seefried studied in Augsburg at the Leopold Mozart Conservatory (now Leopold Mozart Centre ) and in Munich. In 1940 she took Herbert von Karajan to Aachen, where she made her debut as a temple singer in Verdi's Aida. In 1943 she went to Vienna and sang at the Vienna State Opera under Karl Böhm once the Eva in Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. At the request of Richard Strauss took over in 1944 to his 80th birthday, the role of the composer in Ariadne auf Naxos. Member of the ensemble of the Vienna State Opera Irmgard Seefried remained rest of their lives. Since 1946 she sang regularly at all major platforms and in all major festivals in the world, often under the direction of Herbert von Karajan ( The Magic Flute 1950, with Anton Dermota as Tamino ), but also with Bruno Walter ( Mahler 's 4th Symphony ), Charles Böhm ( The creation), Ferenc Fricsay ( Fidelio ) and many others

Seefried was an important member of the " golden generation " of the soprano singing ( Schwarzkopf, Grummer, Güden, Stader, della Casa, Nilsson, Mödl Varnay ), which it was justified by its bright and clear sound emission and its significant, but not over-emphasized, diction. It rests in an honorary dedicated grave in the cemetery Neustift (Group 22, Row 5, number 5) in Vienna, next to her husband.

Irmgard Seefried is the mother of actress Mona Seefried.

Recordings ( selection)

  • Ludwig van Beethoven: Fidelio. Ferenc Fricsay, 1963 Fidelio. Leonie Rysanek - Florestan: Ernst Haefliger, Marcellina: Irmgard Seefried, Jacquino: Friedrich Lenz, Rocco: Gottlob Frick, Don Pizarro Dietrich Fischer- Dieskau, Don Fernando: Kieth Engen, Chorus of the Bavarian State Opera, Bavarian State Orchestra
  • Richard Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier. Karl Böhm, 1959 Marschallin. Marianne Sheikh, Octavian: Irmgard Seefried, Sophie: Rita Streich, Baron Ochs: Kurt Böhme, Faninal: Dietrich Fischer- Dieskau, duenna: Ilona Stein Gruber, Valzacchi: Gerhard Unger, Annina: Sieglinde Wagner, A host: Gelmut Goldmann, the Dresden State Opera chorus (chorus: Ernst Hintze ), Staatskapelle Dresden
  • Ambroise Thomas: Mignon. Jean Fournet, 1964 Mignon:. Irmgard Seefried, Philina: Catherine Gayer, Wilhelm Meister: Ernst Haefliger, Lothario: Kieth Engen, choir Raymond St. Paul ( director: Roger List), Orchestre des Concerts Lamoreux, sung in German language
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