Janowitz, Gundula

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Janowitz, Gundula

Janowitz, Gundula, esteemed German soprano; b. Berlin, Aug. 2, 1937. She studied with Herbert Thöny at the Graz Cons. She made her formal operatic debut as Barbarina at the Vienna State Opera (1959), and later became one of its leading members; also sang at the Bayreuth Festivals (1960–63) and the Salzburg Festivals (from 1963); was a member of the Frankfurt am Main Opera (1963–66); then joined the Deutsche Oper in West Berlin. She appeared at the Glyndebourne Festival (1964); sang at Karajan’s Salzburg Easter Festivals (1967–68). She made her Metropolitan Opera debut in N.Y. as Sieglinde on Nov. 21, 1967. She was chosen to sing the role of Mozart’s Countess at the reopening of the Paris Opéra in 1973; subsequently made her debut at London’s Covent Garden as Donna Anna (1976). She was made an Austrian Kammersängerin in 1970. In 1990-91 she was director of the Graz- Steiermark Theater. Her other notable roles included Fiordiligi, Agathe, Eva, Aida, Elisabeth, Desdemona, and Ariadne. She was also well known as a concert and lieder artist.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire

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