Mödl, Martha (1912–2001)

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Mödl, Martha (1912–2001)

German mezzo-soprano and soprano. Born Mar 22, 1912, in Nuremberg, Germany; died Dec 17, 2001, in Stuttgart, Germany; studied with Klinck-Schneider at Nuremberg Conservatory.

Began as a performer of light mezzo-soprano repertory, then moved into more dramatic Wagnerian roles; made debut as Hänsel in Nuremberg (1942); sang mezzo roles in Düsseldorf (1945–49) and Hamburg Staatsoper (1947–55); made Covent Garden debut as Carmen (1949); debuted at Bayreuth as Kundry in Parsifal (1951); remained at Bayreuth and later performed Isolde and Brünnhilde (1951–67); debuted at Metropolitan Opera (1957); recorded the Walküre with conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler for EMI before recording the entire Ring cycle with the same conductor, a touchstone for all modern interpretations; returned to roles in her natural mezzo range (1960s).

See also Women in World History.