Elisabeth Schwarzkopf made her professional debut in 1938 as the Second Flower Maiden in Richard Wagner's Parsifal at the Deutsches Opernhaus. Throughout a career spanning six decades, she established herself as a primary interpreter of Mozart, Wagner, and Richard Strauss, while building a significant international legacy through her extensive recording work for EMI.
Formative Years in Berlin
Born in 1915 in Jarocin, Schwarzkopf faced a change in her professional trajectory when her father, a school headmaster, was dismissed by the Nazi authorities for refusing to host a party meeting at his school. This blocked her planned medical studies. She enrolled at the Berlin University of the Arts, where she studied under Lula Mysz-Gmeiner and later Maria Ivogün, eventually joining the Deutsche Oper in 1938. By 1940, she held a full contract with the Deutsches Opernhaus, a position that required her to join the Nazi party.
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After the war, Schwarzkopf received Austrian citizenship in 1947, a status that facilitated international travel and performance. She made her debut at London's Royal Opera House in 1947 as Donna Elvira in Mozart's Don Giovanni, and appeared at La Scala in 1948. Her association with Milan in the early 1950s allowed her to perform works such as Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande and Handel's Hercules, alongside signature Mozartian roles.
Recording and Partnership
In 1946, Schwarzkopf auditioned for Walter Legge, a British record producer and founder of the Philharmonia Orchestra. This meeting led to an exclusive EMI contract and a personal relationship; the pair married in 1953, with Schwarzkopf gaining British citizenship. Legge managed her career, which balanced operatic performances with lieder recitals. Her recordings included operas by Verdi, Puccini, and Strauss, as well as operettas like The Merry Widow.
Final Years and Legacy
Schwarzkopf performed her final operatic role as the Marschallin on 31 December 1971 in Brussels. She continued lieder recitals until 1979, the year of her husband's death. Following her retirement from the stage, she transitioned into music education, conducting master classes globally and working at the Juilliard School in 1976. She received numerous honors, including the UNESCO Mozart Medal, the Order of the Dannebrog, and she was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. She died in 2006 in Schruns and was buried in Zumikon.
Fast facts
- Born: 1915, Jarocin
- Died: 2006, Schruns
- Citizenship: Austria, United Kingdom, Germany
- Education: Berlin University of the Arts
- Musical Field: Opera
- Notable Employer: Juilliard School
- Languages: German, English
- Burial: Zumikon
Questions readers ask
What were her most prominent operatic roles?
Her repertoire centered on Mozart and Strauss, notably the Countess in The Marriage of Figaro, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, and the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier.
Did she hold any official state honors?
Yes, her awards include the Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, the UNESCO Mozart Medal, the Order of the Dannebrog, and the Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Achievements
- Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire
- Order of the Dannebrog
- UNESCO Mozart Medal
- Genres: opera
