Astrid Schirmer | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1942-11-08)8 November 1942 Berlin, Germany |
| Died | 8 September 2024(2024-09-08) (aged 81) |
| Education | Musikhochschule Berlin |
| Occupation | Operaticsoprano |
| Organizations | |
| Title | Kammersängerin |
Astrid Schirmer (8 November 1942 – 8 December 2024) was a German operaticsoprano and an academic teacher. She sang mostly dramatic roles at major German opera houses and appeared at theBayreuth Festival.
Schirmer studied voice at theMusikhochschule Berlin with Johanna Rakow andElisabeth Grümmer.[1] She made her debut at theLandestheater Coburg in 1967 as Senta in Wagner'sDer fliegende Holländer. She was a member of theStaatsoper Hannover, theEssen Opera and theNationaltheater Mannheim.[2][3]
Her roles were mostly leading roles as adramatic soprano, such as Leonore in Beethoven'sFidelio and Wagner's Sieglinde inDie Walküre, Brünnhilde inSiegfried, and both Elisabeth and Venus inTannhäuser. She also appeared in Verdi operas, in the title role ofAida, as Amelia inUn ballo in maschera, and as Leonore inLa forza del destino. She performed the title roles ofAriadne auf Naxos andArabella by Richard Strauss, and of Puccini'sTosca andTurandot.[2] At the Staatsoper Hannover, she appeared as Miss Wingrave in Britten'sOwen Wingrave, conducted byGeorge Alexander Albrecht, withGerhard Faulstich in the title role.[4] A versatile singer, she also appeared as Donna Anna in Mozart'sDon Giovanni, Santuzza in Mascagni'sCavalleria rusticana, Bess in Gershwin'sPorgy and Bess, and Lady Billows in Britten'sAlbert Herring. She also sang concerts and oratorios.[2]
Schirmer sang as a guest at major opera houses in Germany such as theDeutsche Oper Berlin,Deutsche Oper am Rhein,Oper Frankfurt, theCologne Opera and theStuttgart State Opera. She performed at theTeatro Liceo in Barcelona and theOpernhaus Zürich.[2]
She appeared at theBayreuth Festival, in 1977 as Ortlinde in Wagner'sDie Walküre, and in 1978 in the same work in the leading part of Sieglinde. Both performances were part of the productionJahrhundertring, staged byPatrice Chéreau and conducted byPierre Boulez.[2]
Schirmer was awarded the titleKammersängerin in Mannheim on 7 July 1981, together with Michael Davidson andFranz Mazura.[5] She was a voice teacher at theMusikhochschule Hannover.[6][7] Among her students was Daniel Eggert.[8]
Schirmer was married to the conductor Carl von Pfeil; their son Alexander von Pfeil became an opera director.[7]
Schirmer died on 8 December 2024, at the age of[1]
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