Flagstad, Kirsten
1895 - Born on July 12th in Hamar, Norway. Norwegian soprano, Kirsten Flagstad's father was a conductor, and her mother was a singing coach and pianist as well as her first teacher.
1913 - While still a student, Kirsten Flagstad made her début at the National Theater in Oslo as Nuri in Eugen d'Albert's Tiefland.
1919 - Married to Sigurd Hall on May 14th.
1930 - Married to Henry Johansen on May 31st.
1932-1934 - Her first Isolde in Oslo led to Bayreuth engagements in minor parts and to roles as Sieglinde and Gutrune.
- Kirsten Flagstad turned her sights on North America and auditioned at the Metropolitan Opera to succeed the reigning Wagnerian soprano Frida Leider.
1935 - Her unheralded Met début as Sieglinde, broadcast nationwide on February 2nd, created a sensation. Four days later, she sang Isolde, and later that month, she performed Brünhilde in Die Walküre and Die Götterdämmerung for the first time.
1941 - She returned to Nazi-occupied Norway to join her second husband, whose collaboration with the Nazis led to his arrest after World War II.
1953 - Her final operatic performances were as Purcell’s Dido at the Mermaid Theatre in London.
1958-1960 - Flagstad continued to record and sing concerts, and was director of the Norwegian National Opera.
1962 - Died on December 7th in Oslo, Norway.
1913 - While still a student, Kirsten Flagstad made her début at the National Theater in Oslo as Nuri in Eugen d'Albert's Tiefland.
1919 - Married to Sigurd Hall on May 14th.
1930 - Married to Henry Johansen on May 31st.
1932-1934 - Her first Isolde in Oslo led to Bayreuth engagements in minor parts and to roles as Sieglinde and Gutrune.
- Kirsten Flagstad turned her sights on North America and auditioned at the Metropolitan Opera to succeed the reigning Wagnerian soprano Frida Leider.
1935 - Her unheralded Met début as Sieglinde, broadcast nationwide on February 2nd, created a sensation. Four days later, she sang Isolde, and later that month, she performed Brünhilde in Die Walküre and Die Götterdämmerung for the first time.
1941 - She returned to Nazi-occupied Norway to join her second husband, whose collaboration with the Nazis led to his arrest after World War II.
1953 - Her final operatic performances were as Purcell’s Dido at the Mermaid Theatre in London.
1958-1960 - Flagstad continued to record and sing concerts, and was director of the Norwegian National Opera.
1962 - Died on December 7th in Oslo, Norway.
Page last updated: 11:14pm, 07th May '07
