Opera Scotland

Irmgard Seefried Suggest updates

Born Köngetried, Bavaria, 9 October 1919.

Died Vienna, 24 November 1988.

German soprano.

Irmgard Seefried spent most of her career based in Vienna where her reputation was built around roles by Mozart (Susanna,  Zerlina,  Pamina) and Strauss (Octavian, Composer).

She trained in Augsburg and Munich, making her debut in 1940 at Aachen as the Priestess Aïda.  She remained a member of the Aachen company until 1943, when she transferred to Vienna, making her debut as Eva Die Meistersinger.

There were many appearances at the Salzburg Festival, especially in her Mozart roles.  She appeared at the New York Met in 1953 (Susanna). 

As a leading member of the Vienna State Opera company she appeared in the famous 1947 visit to  Covent Garden, along with Richard Tauber and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf.