 |
Waltraud MeierGerman singer, dramatic soprano and mezzo-soprano
Date of Birth: 09.01.1956
Country:  Germany |
Content:
- Biography of Waltraud Meier
- Early Career
- International Success
- Later Career and Achievements
- Awards and Honors
Biography of Waltraud Meier
Early Life and EducationWaltraud Meier was born on January 9, 1956 in Würzburg, Germany. In her youth, she sang in numerous choir groups and after completing school, she studied English and Romance languages while also pursuing vocal training. She studied under the guidance of professor Dietger Jacob.
Early Career
In 1976, Meier decided to focus on her career as a singer and soon made her debut at the local opera house in Würzburg, performing the role of Lola in Cavalleria rusticana. Over the next two years, she regularly performed at the opera house in Mannheim.
International Success
Meier's international debut took place in 1980 at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, where she performed the role of Fricka in Die Walküre. Simultaneously, she continued to perform at regional theaters in Germany, including Dortmund from 1980 to 1983, Hanover from 1983 to 1984, and Stuttgart from 1985 to 1988.
After her success as Kundry in Parsifal at the Bayreuth Festival in 1983, Meier's international career skyrocketed. She made her debuts at Covent Garden in 1985 and the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1987. In the 1990s, she frequently performed at the Metropolitan Opera, earning praise for her exceptional voice and convincing acting abilities. During this time, she also added dramatic soprano roles to her repertoire.
Later Career and Achievements
From 1993 to 1999, Meier appeared at the Bayreuth Festival as Isolde, and in 1998 she sang Leonore in Fidelio at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and Ortrud in a new production of Lohengrin at the Bavarian State Opera. In 2000, she portrayed Sieglinde in Bayreuth. She appeared as Isolde at the Salzburg Festival and made her debut as Didon in Les Troyens by Hector Berlioz at the opening of the Munich Opera Festival in 2001.
In 2003, Meier shared a Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording for her portrayal of Venus in Tannhäuser conducted by Daniel Barenboim. She spent the next few years touring Europe, Russia, and the USA with solo concerts featuring works by Brahms, Schubert, and Hugo Wolf. In 2004-2005, she returned to the opera stage, performing Carmen in a new production directed by Katarina Lauterbach at the Semper Oper in Dresden.
On August 22, 2009, Meier participated in a televised concert performance of Fidelio at the Royal Albert Hall in London, once again proving that she is a true star, with her voice remaining powerful and captivating over time.
Awards and Honors
Meier has received numerous awards and honors throughout her career. She was awarded the title of Kammersängerin by the opera houses in Vienna and Munich. The French government honored her contributions to the opera by awarding her the Order of Arts and Letters.
