In memoriam: Hildegard Behrens - an index to obituaries, tributes and homages

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In Memoriam: Hildegard Behrens

BELGIUM:

http://www.demorgen.be/dm/nl/1006/Kunst-Literatuur/article/detail/975108/2009/08/19/Duitse-operazangeres-Hildegard-Behrens-overleden.dhtml

German opera singer Hildegard Behrens has died

The German soprano Hildegard Behrens, known for her interpretations of Wagner, has died in Japan at the age of 72, it was announced byt the organizers of the festival where she was to have given a recital. The opera singer was taken to a hospital in Tokyo for a ruptured aortic aneurysm.

Low blood pressure
Shortly after Behrens arrived in Tokyo Sunday, she felt unwell and complained about low blood pressure. She was immediately taken to hospital. Her son and manager, Philip Behrens, and her daughter Sara arrived in Tokyo and later rushed to the hospital, where the opera singer eventually died during surgery.

Wagner
Behrens, who was born in Varel, near Oldenburg (North Germany), is mainly celebrated for her performances in the operas of Richard Wagner. She took on the role of Brünnhilde in Der Ring des Nibelungen, Senta in The Flying Dutchmanand Isolde in Tristan and Isolde.

Singer of the Year
She worked with the big names such as Leonard Bernstein and Herbert von Karajan and received many awards in Germany and Austria. In 1997 the opera magazine"Die Opernwelt" voted her "Singer of the Year", She performed often at the Metropolitan Opera in New York and during her long and rich career recorded several CDs. (belga / adb) 19/08/09

http://www.gva.be/nieuws/media-en-cultuur/aid856484/wagner-vertolkster-hildegard-behrens-is-niet-meer.aspx

Wagner interpreter Hildegard Behrens dies

The German soprano Hildegard Behrens has died at the age of 72. Behrens earned a name and fame for her performances in the operas of Richard Wagner.

Hildegard Behrens was to give a performance Thursday in Japan, but shortly after her arrival she had to be taken to the hospital where she died of an aortic aneurysm.

Behrens will be cremated Thursday in Tokyo. A concert dedicated to her will take place at the hall where she was to have sung.

Wagner
Her interpretations of Wagner earned worldwide fame for the soprano. She played Brünnhilde in Der Ring des Nibelungen, Senta in The Flying Dutchman and Isolde in Tristan and Isolde.

In 1997 Hildegard Behrens was named "Singer of the Year" by the magazine Die Opernwelt.

Sopraan Hildegard Behrens overleden donderdag 20 augustus 2009
Auteur: (gvds)

MUZIEK — De Duitse operazangeres Hildegard Behrens, een grote dame van het operatoneel en een belangrijke vertolkster van Wagner, is dinsdag in Japan overleden. Ze zou er deelnemen aan een muziekfestival. Behrens werd 72.
De sopraan werd beschouwd als een van de grootste Wagnerstemmen van haar generatie. Ze debuteerde in 1971 in Freiburg als de gravin in Mozarts Le nozze di Figaro. Daarna was ze vast verbonden aan de opera's van Düsseldorf en Frankfurt. Haar grote doorbraak beleefde ze onder Von Karajan in Salzburg, in Salome. Ze specialiseerde zich steeds meer in de grote lyrische rollen uit het Duitse repertoire.

In totaal zong Behrens 171 keer voor de New Yorkse Met, voor het laatst in 1999. Vooral haar vertolking van Brünhilde in Wagners Ring des Nibelungen bij het operagezelschap leverde haar grote waardering op. In 1990 raakte ze gewond toen er tijdens een uitvoering van Wagners Götterdämmerung een decorstuk boven op haar viel.

Tien jaar geleden was Behrens nog te gast tijdens de Salzburger Festspiele, in Cronaca del Luogo van Luciano Berio, in een rol die de componist speciaal voor haar geschreven had.

http://www.standaard.be/artikel/detail.aspx?artikelid=9I2DV46V&word=HIldegard+Behrens

Soprano Hildegard Behrens has died
Thursday, August 20, 2009

MUSIC - The German opera singer Hildegard Behrens, a great lady of opera theater and a major interpreter of Wagner, died Tuesday in Japan where she was to have participated in a music festival. Behrens was 72.

The soprano was regarded as one of the greatest Wagnerian voices of her generation. She debuted in 1971 in Freiburg as the Countess in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro. Then she performed in Dusseldorf and Frankfurt. Her major break came under von Karajan in Salzburg, in Salome. She increasingly specialized in the great lyric roles in the German repertoire.

In all Behrens sang 171 times at the Met in New York where she last performed in 1999. She was greatly appreciated for her rendition of Brünnhilde in Wagner's Ring des Nibelungen at the opera company. In 1990 she was injured during a performance of Wagner's Götterdämmerung when a piece of scenery fell on her.

Ten years ago Behrens was a guest artist at the Salzburg Festival, performing in Luciano Berio's Cronaca del Luogo, in a role that the composer had written especially for her.

Netherland:

Sopraan Hildegard Behrens overleden
AP Gepubliceerd op 19 augustus 2009 14:46, bijgewerkt op 14:48

TOKIO - De Duitse operazangeres Hildegard Behrens is dinsdag in Japan, waar ze zou optreden en lesgeven, overleden. Ze is 72 jaar geworden.De sopraan Behrens werd beschouwd als een van de grootste Wagner-vertolkers van haar generatie. Ze debuteerde in 1971 in Freiburg als de gravin in Mozarts 'Le nozze di Figaro'. Vijf jaar later zong ze voor het eerst bij de Metropolitan Opera in New York, in Il Tabarro van Puccini. In totaal zong ze 171 keer voor de Met, voor het laatst in 1999. Vooral haar vertolking van Brünhilde in Wagners Ring des Nibelungen bij het New-Yorkse operagezelschap leverde haar grote waardering op. In 1990 raakte ze gewond toen er tijdens een uitvoering van Wagners Götterdämmerung een decorstuk bovenop haar viel.

Behrens werd als dochter van een artsenechtpaar geboren in het Noord-Duitse Varel-Oldenburg. Als kind had ze piano- en vioolles. Later studeerde ze rechten aan de Universiteit van Freiburg. Ze werd een aantal keer onderscheiden voor haar verdiensten als zangeres, in Duitsland zowel als Oostenrijk.

http://www.volkskrant.nl/kunst/article1279200.ece/Sopraan_Hildegard_Behrens_overleden

Soprano Hildegard Behrens has died
AP Published on August 19, 2009 14:46, updated at 14:48

TOKYO -- The German opera singer Hildegard Behrens died Tuesday in Japan where she was to conduct masterclasses. She was 72 years old. The soprano was regarded as one of the greatest Wagnerian sopranos of her generation. She debuted in 1971 in Freiburg as the Countess in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro. Five years later she made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, in Puccini's Il Tabarro. In all she sang 171 times at the Met, most recently in 1999. It was for her rendition of Brünhilde in Wagner's Ring des Nibelungen at the New York opera company that she received great acclaim. In 1990 she became injured during a performance of Wagner's Götterdämmerung when a piece of scenery fell on her.

Behrens was born in Varel, Oldenburg in northern Germany, the daughter of a couple doctors . As a child she received piano and violin lessons. Later she studied law at the University of Freiburg. She was honored for her accomplishments as a singer.

HILDEGARD BEHRENS: she makes music worth seeing!

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