Behrens, Hildegard

Behrens, Hildegard, noted German soprano; b. Varel, Oldenburg, Feb. 9, 1937. After obtaining a law degree from the Univ. of Freiburg im Breisgau, she studied voice with Ines Leuwen at the Freiburg im Breisgau Staatliche Hochschule für Musik. In 1971 she made her operatic debut as Mozart’s Countess at the Freiburg im Breisgau City Theater; that same year she became a member of the opera studio of the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf, becoming a full-fledged member of the company in 1972; also sang in Frankfurt am Main. In 1976 she made her debut at London’s Covent Garden as Giorgetta in II Tabarro . On Oct. 1, 1976, she made her first appearance at the Metropolitan Opera in N.Y. singing Dich teure Halle from Tannhäuser in a marathon concert, returning to make her formal debut there as Giorgetta on Oct. 15, 1976; in subsequent seasons, she returned to sing such roles as Fidelio, Elettra, Sieglinde, Isolde, Donna Anna, Brünnhilde, Berg’s Marie, and Tosca. In 1983 she sang Brünnhilde at the Bayreuth Festival. She made her N.Y. recital debut in 1985. In 1990 she portrayed Salome at Covent Garden. Her characterization of Elektra at the Metropolitan Opera in 1992 was a stunning tour de force. After singing Isolde in Munich in 1996, she appeared as Elektra at Covent Garden in 1997. In 1998 Behrens was bequeathed the Lotte Lehmann Memorial Ring by Leo-nie Rysanek, and was also awarded the Léonie Sonning Music Prize of Denmark. On July 24, 1999, she created the role of R in Berio’s Cronaca del Lugo in Salzburg.