born Dec. 9, 1915, Jarotschin, near Posen, Ger.
German-born British soprano.
After studies at the Berlin High School for Music, she debuted in 1938 as a flower maiden in the opera Parsifal . A 1942 recital in Berlin caused Karl Böhm to invite her to the Vienna State Opera. She made her Covent Garden debut in 1947 with that company and remained there for five years. Her voice bloomed, and she began her long associations with the Salzburg Festival (1949–64) and La Scala (1949–63). Her annual lieder recitals were legendary. Her opera farewell (1972) was in her famous role as the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier , and she retired in 1975.