Schwarzkopf, Elisabeth [key], 1915–2006, German lyric soprano. After studying music in Berlin she was trained by Maria Ivogün. She sang with the Berlin State Opera (1938–42) and became (1944) principal soprano at the Vienna State Opera. Schwarzkopf, who gained a reputation for subtlety and versatility in recitals, oratorios, and opera, also performed at Covent Garden, London, and La Scala, Milan. She first sang in the United States in 1953 and made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in 1964. She was especially known for roles in operas by Mozart and Richard Strauss and for her lieder singing, most notably her interpretations of Hugo Wolf. In 1951, Schwarzkopf sang the leading role in the premiere of The Rake's Progress by Igor Stravinsky.
See biography by A. Jefferson (1997).
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