Steffek, Hanny (actually, Hannelore)
Steffek, Hanny (actually, Hannelore)
Steffek, Hanny (actually, Hannelore), Austrian soprano; b. Biala, Galicia, Dec. 12, 1927. She received her training at the Vienna Academy of Music and the Salzburg Mozarteum. In 1949 she made her concert debut at the Salzburg Festival, and returned there in 1950 to make her operatic debut in a minor role in Die Zauberflöte. She also sang in Grazand Frankfurt am Main, and then was a member of the Bavarian State Opera inMunich (1957–72). In 1959 she made her debut at London’s Covent Garden as Sophie. From 1964 to 1973 she sang at the Vienna State Opera. In 1965 she appeared with the visiting Bavarian State Opera at the Edinburgh Festival singing Christine in the first British performance of Intermezzo. She also sang with various other European opera houses. In additionto her noted portrayal of Christine, she was admired for such roles as Despina, Blondchen, Papagena, and Ilia. She also was highly successful in Viennese operetta.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire