Leopoldine "Leonie" Rysanek (November 14, 1926–March 7, 1998) was an Austrian dramatic soprano. is the 318th day of the year (319th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1926 (MCMXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 66th day of the year (67th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the voice-type. ...

Rysanek was born in Vienna and made her operatic debut in 1949 in Innsbruck. Her Metropolitan Opera debut came in 1959 as Lady Macbeth, replacing Maria Callas who had been "fired" from the production. She made her farewell to the Met as the Countess in The Queen of Spades in January 1996. Her final performance was at the Salzburg Festival in August 1996, as Klytämnestra in Elektra. Over her lengthy career, she sang 299 performances of 24 roles at the Met. She starred in the Met premieres of Macbeth, Nabucco, Ariadne auf Naxos, Die Frau ohne Schatten, and Katya Kabanova. For other uses, see Vienna (disambiguation). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, the lead section of this article may need to be expanded. ... Lady Macbeth by George Cattermole, 1850 Lady Macbeth is a character in Shakespeares play Macbeth. ... Maria Callas in a casual moment, 1960s Maria Callas (Greek: Μαρία Κάλλας) (December 2, 1923 – September 16, 1977) was an American born, Greek dramatic coloratura soprano and perhaps the best-known opera singer of the post-World War II period. ... The Queen of Spades (Пиковая дама in Russian, Pikovaya dama in transliteration) is an opera in three acts by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky to a Russian libretto by the composers brother Modest Tchaikovsky, based on a short story by the poet Aleksandr Pushkin. ... For information about the 1967 opera based on the 1931 Eugene ONeill play based on the Elektra story, see Mourning Becomes Electra. ... For other uses, see Macbeth (disambiguation). ... Nabucco is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Temistocle Solera, based on the biblical story and the play by Anicet-Bourgeois and Francis Cornu. ... Ariadne auf Naxos (Ariadne on Naxos) is an opera by Richard Strauss with libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. ... Die Frau ohne Schatten (The Woman without a Shadow) is an opera in three acts by Richard Strauss with a libretto by his long-time collaborator, the poet Hugo von Hofmannsthal. ... Katyá Kabanová is an opera by Leoš Janáček , first produced in Brno on 23 November 1921. ...

In 1951, she was the first Sieglinde of the new Bayreuth Festival in Die Walküre under Herbert von Karajan. Signy and Hagbard Signy is the name of two heroines in two legends from Scandinavian mythology which were very popular in medieval Scandinavia. ... Bayreuth Festspielhaus, as seen in 1882 The annual Bayreuth Festival in Bayreuth, Germany is devoted principally (but not exclusively) to performances of operas by the 19th century German composer Richard Wagner. ... Die Walküre (The Valkyrie) is the second of the four operas that comprise Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), by Richard Wagner. ... Herbert von Karajan (April 5, 1908 – July 16, 1989) was an Austrian conductor. ...

She was appointed curator of the Vienna Festival (Wiener Festwochen) a few months after her retirement, a post she held until her death in Vienna at age 71 (she had been diagnosed with bone cancer during her last Met performances). The Vienna Festival (Wiener Festwochen) is a cultural festival in Vienna that takes place every year for five weeks in May and June. ...

Voice and roles

Leonie Rysanek's voice was astride the spinto and dramatic soprano voices in certain roles. Although her voice fell in the upper end of the jugendlich-dramatisch and dramatischer sopran categories in the German repertoire, it was exclusively dramatic by Italian operatic standards. In the octave just above middle C, the voice could sound dry with wobbly intonation, but at the top of the staff it blossomed into one of the most glorious sounds of the twentieth century. Her endurance in the high tessitura of Turandot and the operas of Richard Strauss and Wagner is legendary. This article is about the voice-type. ... In music, tessitura (Italian: texture) is a range of pitches compared to the instrument for which it was intended to be used. ... For the opera by Ferruccio Busoni, see Turandot (Busoni). ...

She excelled in the music of Richard Strauss. She was especially successful as the Empress (Kaiserin) in Die Frau ohne Schatten, the title role in Salome, the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier and Chrysothemis in Elektra. She occasionally sang Ariadne/Prima Donna in Ariadne auf Naxos and female leads in Strauss operas rarely staged (Die Ägyptische Helena and Die Liebe der Danae). However, cautious of playing out of her league, she didn't tackle Salome until 1972 when she was 46, although she kept the role of Sieglinde in her active repertoire from her early 20s until age 62. She avoided offers to sing Isolde in Wagner's Tristan und Isolde despite speculation that the role would be perfect for her. This article is about the German composer of tone-poems and operas. ... Die Frau ohne Schatten (The Woman without a Shadow) is an opera in three acts by Richard Strauss with a libretto by his long-time collaborator, the poet Hugo von Hofmannsthal. ... Coin of Salome (daughter of Herodias), queen of Chalcis and Armenia Minor. ... Der Rosenkavalier (The Cavalier of the Rose) is a comic opera in three acts by Richard Strauss to an original German libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. ... In Greek mythology, Chrysothemis was a daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. ... For information about the 1967 opera based on the 1931 Eugene ONeill play based on the Elektra story, see Mourning Becomes Electra. ... Drinking scene with Dionysus and Ariadne on his lap. ... Ariadne auf Naxos (Ariadne on Naxos) is an opera by Richard Strauss with libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. ... This article is about the opera by Richard Strauss . ... Tristan und Isolde (Tristan and Isolde) is an opera in three acts by Richard Wagner to a German libretto by the composer, based largely on the romance by Gottfried von Straßburg. ...

Strauss sopranos often make excellent Puccini voices and accordingly Rysanek sang many Toscas and a few Turandots. She also sang a remarkable Leonore in Beethoven's Fidelio. For other uses, see Tosca (disambiguation). ... For the opera by Ferruccio Busoni, see Turandot (Busoni). ... “Beethoven” redirects here. ... Fidelio (Op. ...

In Wagner, she sang many Tannhäuser Elisabeths and Lohengrin Elsas, virtually owned the role of Senta in Der fliegende Holländer for two decades, but the role in which she was most revered, in addition to Strauss's Kaiserin and Chrysothemis, was Sieglinde in Die Walküre. Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner (22 May 1813 – 13 February 1883) was a German composer, conductor, music theorist, and essayist, primarily known for his operas (or music dramas as they were later called). ... In the Venusberg by John Collier, 1901: a gilded setting that is distinctly Italian quattrocento. ... Lohengrin is a romantic opera (or music drama) in three acts by Richard Wagner. ... Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman) is an opera, with music and libretto by Richard Wagner. ... Die Walküre (The Valkyrie) is the second of the four operas that comprise Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), by Richard Wagner. ...

Such a powerful, long and expressive voice as Rysanek's allowed her to sing many Verdi leads, notably Desdemona in Otello, Lady Macbeth, Amelia in Un ballo in maschera, Elisabetta in Don Carlo, Leonora in La forza del destino, and Aida. Desdemona by Frederic Leighton Desdemona is a fictional character in the play Othello by William Shakespeare. ... For the Rossini opera, see Otello (Rossini) or for the eurobeat artist see Gianni Coraini. ... Lady Macbeth by George Cattermole, 1850 Lady Macbeth is a character in Shakespeares play Macbeth. ... Un ballo in maschera, or A Masked Ball, is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi with text by Antonio Somma. ... Don Carlos is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi. ... La forza del destino (The Force of Destiny) is an Italian opera by Giuseppe Verdi. ... This article is about the opera. ...

As an Austrian and a Mitteleuropäerin, Rysanek also took an interest in music from Slavic countries, both Russian (Tchaikovsky) and Czech (Smetana, Janáček). “Tchaikovsky” redirects here. ... Portrait of BedÅ™ich Smetana BedÅ™ich Smetana (pronounced ; 2 March 1824 - 12 May 1884) was a Czech composer. ... LeoÅ¡ Janáček in 1928 LeoÅ¡ Janáček ( ; July 3, 1854 in Hukvaldy, Moravia, then Austrian empire – August 12, 1928 in Ostrava, then Czechoslovakia) was a Czech composer. ...

Of the notorious five "biggest" soprano roles, Rysanek sang Turandot and enjoyed success as Kundry in Parsifal at the Met and the Bayreuth Festival. Starting her career when Kirsten Flagstad was still alive and Birgit Nilsson and Astrid Varnay at the peak of their vocal abilities, Rysanek knew better than to go for Wagner's Isolde or any of his three Brünnhildes. However, in 1981, Karl Böhm persuaded her to sing Elektra (opera) for a Unitel film (with the soundtrack recorded in the studio), not a live production in an opera house. She accepted out of consideration for and trust in the great conductor and wouldn't have done it for anyone else. For the opera by Ferruccio Busoni, see Turandot (Busoni). ... Parsifal is an opera, or music drama, in three acts by Richard Wagner. ... Kirsten Flagstad Kirsten MÃ¥lfrid Flagstad (July 12, 1895 – December 7, 1962) was a Norwegian opera singer. ... Birgit Nilsson Birgit Nilsson (May 17, 1918 – December 25, 2005) was a Swedish dramatic soprano who specialized in operatic and symphonic works. ... Astrid Varnay (born April 25, 1918 in Stockholm, Sweden) is an American soprano. ... In the Arthurian Legend of Tristan and Iseult (alternatively Isolde, Isode, Isotta, etc. ... Sigurd and Brynhilds funeral In Norse mythology, Brynhildr was a shieldmaiden and a valkyrie. ... Karl Böhm (August 28, 1894 – August 14, 1981) was a prominent Austrian conductor. ... For information about the 1967 opera based on the 1931 Eugene ONeill play based on the Elektra story, see Mourning Becomes Electra. ...

In her later years, and like many "big" soprano voices, Rysanek reverted to dramatic mezzo-soprano roles like Ortrud in Wagner's Lohengrin, Herodias in Strauss's Salome and Klytemnestra in his Elektra. A mezzo-soprano (meaning medium soprano in Italian) is a female singer with a range usually extending from the A below middle C to the F an eleventh above middle C. Mezzo-sopranos generally have a darker (or lower) vocal tone than sopranos, and their vocal range is between that... Ortrud is a female character from Richard Wagners opera Lohengrin (1848). ... Lohengrin is a romantic opera (or music drama) in three acts by Richard Wagner. ... Herodias (c. ... This article is about the German composer of tone-poems and operas. ...

Officially published recordings

Work (composer), role, conductor, year of recording, label.

Only recordings marked thus ! were originally recorded by the respective record companies. All others are recordings of concerts or opera performances generally made by radio stations.

• Die Walküre third act (Richard Wagner), Sieglinde, Herbert von Karajan, 1951, EMI.
• Die Walküre (Richard Wagner), Sieglinde, Wilhelm Furtwängler, 1954, EMI
• Die Frau ohne Schatten (Richard Strauss), Kaiserin, Karl Böhm, 1955, Decca.
• Fidelio (Ludwig van Beethoven, Leonore, Ferenc Fricsay, 1956, Deutsche Grammophon.
• Operatic Arias, Arturo Basile, 1958, RCA.
• Ariadne auf Naxos (Richard Strauss), Prima Donna/Ariadne, Erich Leinsdorf, 1958, Decca.
• Macbeth (Giuseppe Verdi), Lady Macbeth, Erich Leinsdorf, 1959, RCA.
• Otello (Giuseppe Verdi), Desdemona, Tullio Serafin, 1960, RCA.
• Requiem (Giuseppe Verdi), soprano, Herbert von Karajan, 1960, EMI
• Der Fliegende Holländer (Richard Wagner), Senta, Antal Dorati, 1961, Decca.
• Die Frau ohne Schatten (Richard Strauss), Kaiserin, Herbert von Karajan, 1964, Deutsche Grammophon
• Die Walküre (Richard Wagner), Sieglinde, Karl Böhm, 1967, Philips
• Medea (Luigi Cherubini), Medea, Horst Stein, 1972, RCA.
• Salomé (Richard Strauss), Salomé, Karl Böhm, 1972, RCA
• Die Frau ohne Schatten (Richard Strauss), Kaiserin, Karl Böhm, 1977, Deutsche Grammophon
• Elektra (Richard Strauss), Elektra, Karl Böhm, 1981, Unitel (video).
• Jenůfa (Leos Janacek), Kostelnicka, Eve Queler, 1988, BIS
• Salome (Richard Strauss), Herodias, Giuseppe Sinopoli, 1990], Deutsche Grammophon
• Elektra (Richard Strauss), Klytemnestra, Friedemann Layer, 1995, Actes sud.
• Elektra (Richard Strauss), Klytemnestra, Jeffrey Tate, ?, Claves

Die Walküre (The Valkyrie) is the second of the four operas that comprise Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), by Richard Wagner. ... Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner (22 May 1813 – 13 February 1883) was a German composer, conductor, music theorist, and essayist, primarily known for his operas (or music dramas as they were later called). ... Herbert von Karajan (April 5, 1908 – July 16, 1989) was an Austrian conductor. ... For other uses, see EMI (disambiguation). ... Die Walküre (The Valkyrie) is the second of the four operas that comprise Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), by Richard Wagner. ... Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner (22 May 1813 – 13 February 1883) was a German composer, conductor, music theorist, and essayist, primarily known for his operas (or music dramas as they were later called). ... Wilhelm Furtwängler (January 25, 1886 – November 30, 1954) was a German conductor and composer. ... For other uses, see EMI (disambiguation). ... Die Frau ohne Schatten (The Woman without a Shadow) is an opera in three acts by Richard Strauss with a libretto by his long-time collaborator, the poet Hugo von Hofmannsthal. ... This article is about the German composer of tone-poems and operas. ... Karl Böhm (August 28, 1894 – August 14, 1981) was a prominent Austrian conductor. ... It has been suggested that Decca Music Group be merged into this article or section. ... Fidelio (Op. ... “Beethoven” redirects here. ... Ferenc Fricsay (1914 - 20 February 1963) was a Hungarian conductor. ... Deutsche Grammophon is a German classical record label. ... This article is about the former RCA Corporation. ... Ariadne auf Naxos (Ariadne on Naxos) is an opera by Richard Strauss with libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. ... This article is about the German composer of tone-poems and operas. ... Erich Leinsdorf (February 4, 1912 - September 11, 1993) was a conductor. ... It has been suggested that Decca Music Group be merged into this article or section. ... For other uses, see Macbeth (disambiguation). ... Verdi redirects here. ... Erich Leinsdorf (February 4, 1912 - September 11, 1993) was a conductor. ... This article is about the former RCA Corporation. ... For the Rossini opera, see Otello (Rossini) or for the eurobeat artist see Gianni Coraini. ... Verdi redirects here. ... Tullio Serafin (1878 - 1968) was an Italian conductor of opera. ... This article is about the former RCA Corporation. ... Verdi redirects here. ... Herbert von Karajan (April 5, 1908 – July 16, 1989) was an Austrian conductor. ... For other uses, see EMI (disambiguation). ... Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman) is an opera, with music and libretto by Richard Wagner. ... Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner (22 May 1813 – 13 February 1883) was a German composer, conductor, music theorist, and essayist, primarily known for his operas (or music dramas as they were later called). ... Antal Dor ti (April 9, 1906 - November 13, 1988) was a conductor and composer. ... It has been suggested that Decca Music Group be merged into this article or section. ... Die Frau ohne Schatten (The Woman without a Shadow) is an opera in three acts by Richard Strauss with a libretto by his long-time collaborator, the poet Hugo von Hofmannsthal. ... This article is about the German composer of tone-poems and operas. ... Herbert von Karajan (April 5, 1908 – July 16, 1989) was an Austrian conductor. ... Deutsche Grammophon is a German classical record label. ... Die Walküre (The Valkyrie) is the second of the four operas that comprise Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), by Richard Wagner. ... Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner (22 May 1813 – 13 February 1883) was a German composer, conductor, music theorist, and essayist, primarily known for his operas (or music dramas as they were later called). ... Karl Böhm (August 28, 1894 – August 14, 1981) was a prominent Austrian conductor. ... Philips HQ in Amsterdam Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Royal Philips Electronics N.V.), usually known as Philips, (Euronext: PHIA, NYSE: PHG) is one of the largest electronics companies in the world, founded and headquartered in the Netherlands. ... This article is about the Greek mythological figure. ... Portrait of Luigi Cherubini. ... This article is about the former RCA Corporation. ... Salome is an opera in one act by Richard Strauss to a German libretto by the composer, based on Hedwig Lachmann’s German translation of the French play Salomé by Oscar Wilde. ... This article is about the German composer of tone-poems and operas. ... Karl Böhm (August 28, 1894 – August 14, 1981) was a prominent Austrian conductor. ... This article is about the former RCA Corporation. ... Die Frau ohne Schatten (The Woman without a Shadow) is an opera in three acts by Richard Strauss with a libretto by his long-time collaborator, the poet Hugo von Hofmannsthal. ... This article is about the German composer of tone-poems and operas. ... Karl Böhm (August 28, 1894 – August 14, 1981) was a prominent Austrian conductor. ... Deutsche Grammophon is a German classical record label. ... For information about the 1967 opera based on the 1931 Eugene ONeill play based on the Elektra story, see Mourning Becomes Electra. ... This article is about the German composer of tone-poems and operas. ... Karl Böhm (August 28, 1894 – August 14, 1981) was a prominent Austrian conductor. ... Jenůfa (Její pastorkyňa in Czech) is an opera in three acts by LeoÅ¡ Janáček to a Czech libretto by the composer, based on the play Její pastorkyňa (Her Stepdaughter) by Gabriela Preissová. It was first performed at the Brno Theater, Brno, 21 January 1904. ... The title given to this article is incorrect due to technical limitations. ... BIS Records is a record label founded in 1973 by Robert von Bahr. ... This article is about the opera by Richard Strauss . ... This article is about the German composer of tone-poems and operas. ... Giuseppe Sinopoli (November 2, 1946 - April 20, 2001) was a conductor and composer. ... Deutsche Grammophon is a German classical record label. ... For information about the 1967 opera based on the 1931 Eugene ONeill play based on the Elektra story, see Mourning Becomes Electra. ... This article is about the German composer of tone-poems and operas. ... For information about the 1967 opera based on the 1931 Eugene ONeill play based on the Elektra story, see Mourning Becomes Electra. ... This article is about the German composer of tone-poems and operas. ...

Other recordings

• Senta in Der Fliegende Holländer: Bayreuth Festival 1959, cond. Wolfgang Sawallisch.
• Sieglinde in Die Walküre: Bayreuth Festival 1958, cond. Hans Knappertsbusch.
• Salome: Chorégies d'Orange 1974, cond. Rudolf Kempe.
• Gioconda in La Gioconda: Berlin Staatsoper, 1974, cond. Giuseppe Patanè.

Many roles in which Rysanek was virtually unsurpassed were never recorded or published officially. These include, among others: Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman) is an opera, with music and libretto by Richard Wagner. ... Bayreuth Festspielhaus, as seen in 1882 The annual Bayreuth Festival in Bayreuth, Germany is devoted principally (but not exclusively) to performances of operas by the 19th century German composer Richard Wagner. ... Wolfgang Sawallisch (born August 26, 1923) is a German conductor and pianist. ... Die Walküre (The Valkyrie) is the second of the four operas that comprise Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), by Richard Wagner. ... Bayreuth Festspielhaus, as seen in 1882 The annual Bayreuth Festival in Bayreuth, Germany is devoted principally (but not exclusively) to performances of operas by the 19th century German composer Richard Wagner. ... Hans Knappertsbusch (March 12, 1888 - October 25, 1965) German conductor born in Elberfeld (present-day Wuppertal), best known for his performances of the music of Richard Wagner, Anton Bruckner and Richard Strauss. ... This article is about the opera by Richard Strauss . ... Roman theatre at Orange, France Orange (Arenjo in Provençal) is a city in the département of Vaucluse, in the south of France. ... Rudolf Kempe (June 14, 1910 – May 12, 1976) was a German conductor. ... La Gioconda can refer to: A famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci, better known as Mona Lisa; An opera by Amilcare Ponchielli. ...

• Chrysothemis in Elektra: Cologne Radio 1953, cond. Richard Kraus, Bavarian State Opera 1955, cond. Karl Böhm.
• Elisabeth in Tannhäuser: Bayreuth Festival 1964, cond. Otmar Suitner and 1966, cond. Carlos Melles.
• Elsa in Lohengrin: Bayreuth Festival 1958, cond. André Cluytens.
• Danae in Die Liebe der Danae (Richard Strauss): Bavarian State Opera 1953, cond. Kurt Eichorn.
• Helena in Die Ägyptische Helena (Richard Strauss): Bavarian State Opera 1956, cond. Joseph Keilberth.
• Aida (Giuseppe Verdi): Vienna Opera 1955, cond. Rafael Kubelík.
• Amelia in Un ballo in maschera (Giuseppe Verdi): Metropolitan Opera 1962, cond. Nello Santi.