Hildegard Behrens in the role of Brunnhilde in the final scene of Die Walkurie by Richard Wagner with James Morris as Wotan. The Met, 1991, James Levine, conducting
Soprano Hildegard Behrens, one of the finest dramatic sopranos of her generation, has died at 72 in Tokyo, the result of an apparent aneurysm.
Behrens (February 9, 1937 – August 18, 2009) was a remarkable performer, with an amazing dramatic commitment; she became famous for her athletic interpretation of the role of the chief Valkyrie, Brünnhilde in Wagner’s Ring, at the Metropolitan Opera.
I first saw her in 1979 as Salome at Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf, in a performance I will never forget: her portrayal of the Judean princess was remarkable both for its neurotic believability and the incredible freshness of her voice, which gave no hint of fatigue or strain throughout the long, demanding role.
Behrens was born in northern Germany, and first trained as a lawyer before committing to a career as a singer. She did her apprenticeship in Düsseldorf, graduating to larger roles in bigger houses.
Roles like Brünnhilde take a toll, and Behrens sang them too long, but her work set a standard for singing actors. She can be seen and heard to good advantage in the DVD set of the Met’s Ring.
08-20-2009, 06:22 PM
Hildegard Behrens Dead at 72 
