Kirsten Flagstad
Norwegian soprano who defined Wagnerian opera in the 20th century.
Kirsten Malfrid Flagstad (12 July 1895 – 7 December 1962) is remembered as the defining Wagnerian soprano of her time, often called "the voice of the century." Her February 2, 1935, debut at the Metropolitan Opera became legendary. Giulio Gatti-Casazza, the Met’s longtime general manager, later claimed he gave America two great gifts: Caruso and Flagstad. In the New Grove Dictionary of Opera, Desmond Shawe-Taylor wrote that no one in living memory surpassed her in sheer beauty and consistency of line and tone.
Flagstad was born in Hamar, Norway, at her grandparents’ home—now the Kirsten Flagstad Museum—though she grew up in Oslo and never lived in Hamar, always considering it her hometown. Her father Michael was a conductor, her mother Maja a pianist, and her siblings included conductor Ole Flagstad, pianist Lasse Flagstad, and soprano Karen-Marie Flagstad. She trained in Oslo and made her stage debut in 1913 as Nuri in Eugen d’Albert’s *Tiefland* at the National Theatre, with her first recordings made between 1913 and 1915. After further study in Stockholm with Dr. Gillis Bratt, she worked in Norwegian opera and operetta. In 1919 she married Sigurd Hall; their daughter Else Marie was born the following year. That same year, she joined the newly formed Opera Comique in Oslo under Alexander Varnay and Benno Singer. Flagstad could learn roles in just a few days, singing Desdemona opposite Leo Slezak, as well as Minnie, Amelia, and other lesser parts there.
From 1928 to 1934 she performed at Gothenburg’s Stora Teatern in Sweden, debuting as Agathe in Weber’s *Der Freischütz*. In 1930 she sang Michal in a revival of Nielsen’s *Saul and David*. On 31 May 1930 she married industrialist Henry Johansen, who helped advance her career. She debuted in Handel’s *Rodelinda* in 1932. After more than a decade singing operetta and lyric roles like Marguerite in *Faust*, she moved to heavier parts such as Tosca and Aida, the latter unleashing her dramatic abilities. In 1932 she took on Isolde in Wagner’s *Tristan und Isolde* and seemed to find her true voice. Swedish soprano Ellen Gulbranson convinced Winifred Wagner to audition Flagstad for Bayreuth. After minor roles in 1933, she sang Sieglinde in *Die Walküre* and Gutrune in *Götterdämmerung* at the 1934 festival, opposite Frida Leider as Brünnhilde.
Otto Hermann Kahn, chairman of the Met’s board, noticed Flagstad during a 1929 Scandinavian trip, and the Met made overtures, but her letters went unanswered—she had just met her future second husband and briefly considered quitting opera. In summer 1934, when the Met needed a replacement for Leider, Flagstad auditioned for conductor Artur Bodanzky and Met manager Gatti-Casazza in St. Moritz in August 1934 and was hired on the spot. Bodanzky told her to learn Isolde, the three Brünnhildes, Leonore in *Fidelio*, and the Marschallin in *Der Rosenkavalier*, and not to get fat, as her slender figure was part of why she was engaged. At the Met, vocal coach Hermann Weigert prepared her for all roles. Her debut as Sieglinde in *Die Walküre* on 2 February 1935 was not planned as a big event—Met management kept it low-key because Flagstad was unknown in the U.S.—but it caused a sensation. The performance was broadcast nationwide on the Met’s radio program; intermission host Geraldine Farrar, overwhelmed, discarded her notes and announced a new star. Days later Flagstad sang Isolde, then Brünnhilde in *Die Walküre* and *Götterdämmerung*. By season’s end she had also sung Elsa in *Lohengrin*, Elisabeth in *Tannhäuser*, and her first Kundry in *Parsifal*.
Almost overnight, Flagstad became the pre-eminent Wagnerian soprano, and it was said she saved the Met from bankruptcy. Her performances—sometimes three or four a week early on—sold out immediately. Beyond box office receipts, her personal appeals for donations during Saturday matinee intermissions brought in thousands of dollars. Before the war, her only non-Wagnerian Met role was *Fidelio* (1936 and later). In 1935 she sang all three Brünnhildes in San Francisco Opera’s *Ring* cycle, and in 1937 she first appeared with the Chicago City Opera Company. In 1936 and 1937, she performed Isolde, Brünnhilde, and Senta at the Royal Opera House.
- born
- 12 July 1895
- died
- 7 December 1962
- field
- Opera singer
- nationality
- Norwegian
- known_for
- Wagnerian soprano; Metropolitan Opera debut in 1935
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Flagstad was born in Hamar, Norway, in her grandparents' home, now the Kirsten Flagstad Museum. Though she never actually lived in Hamar, she always considered it her home town. She was raised in Oslo within a musical family; her father Michael Flagstad was a conductor and her mother Maja Flagstad a pianist. Their other children were also musicians: the conductor Ole Flagstad, pianist Lasse Flagstad, and soprano Karen-Marie Flagstad. She made her stage debut at the National Theatre as Nuri in Eugen d'Albert's Tiefland in 1913. After further study in Stockholm with Dr. Gillis Bratt, she pursued a career in opera and operetta in Norway. In 1919, she married her first husband Sigurd Hall and a year later gave birth to her only child, a daughter, Else Marie Hall. Later that year she signed up with the newly created Opera Comique in Oslo. She sang at the Stora Teatern of Gothenburg, Sweden, between 1928 and 1934. On 31 May 1930 she married her second husband, the Norwegian industrialist and lumber merchant Henry Johansen, who subsequently helped her in expanding her career. In 1932, she took on the role of Isolde in Richard Wagner's Tristan und Isolde and appeared to have found her true voice. Ellen Gulbranson persuaded Winifred Wagner to audition Flagstad for the Bayreuth Festival. Flagstad sang minor roles in 1933, but at the next season in 1934, she sang the roles of Sieglinde in Die Walküre and Gutrune in Götterdämmerung at the Festival, opposite Frida Leider as Brünnhilde.
Reader's Guide
Flagstad's significance lies in her immediate and lasting impact at the Metropolitan Opera. She was first noticed by Otto Hermann Kahn on a trip to Scandinavia in 1929, but Met management's letters were never answered. In the summer of 1934, when the Met needed a replacement for Frida Leider, Flagstad agreed to audition for conductor Artur Bodanzky and Met general manager Giulio Gatti-Casazza in St Moritz in August 1934, and she was engaged immediately. Upon leaving St Moritz, Bodanzky's parting words were: 'Come to New York as soon as you know these roles (Isolde, the three Brünnhildes, Leonore in Fidelio, and the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier). And above all do not go and get fat! Your slender, youthful figure is not the least reason you were engaged.' Her debut as Sieglinde in Die Walküre on the afternoon of 2 February 1935 created a sensation. The performance was broadcast nationwide, and intermission host Geraldine Farrar discarded her prepared notes and breathlessly announced that a new star had just been born. Days later, Flagstad sang Isolde, and later that month, she performed Brünnhilde in Die Walküre and Götterdämmerung for the first time. Before the end of the season, she sang Elsa in Lohengrin, Elisabeth in Tannhäuser, and her first Kundry in Parsifal. It has been said that she saved the Metropolitan Opera from looming bankruptcy. Her performances quickly sold out, and her nationwide personal appeals to radio listeners brought thousands of dollars in donations to the Met's coffers. In 1936 and 1937, she performed at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, under Sir Thomas Beecham, Fritz Reiner and Wilhelm Furtwängler. She also toured Australia in 1938. Flagstad got involved in a long-running feud with tenor co-star Lauritz Melchior after Melchior took offense to comments Flagstad made about 'stupid publicity photos' during a game of bridge in Flagstad's hotel suite while on tour in Rochester, NY. Afterwards, Melchior insisted that there be no solo curtain calls for Flagstad when the two performed together. The two never said a word to each other off stage for the next two years. It was Flagstad's husband Henry Johansen who finally brought the two together to make peace. Flagstad also feuded with Met general manager Edward Johnson after conductor Artur Bodanzky's death, when she asked to be conducted by her accompanist Edwin McArthur. Johnson refused, but Flagstad went over his head to the Met's board of directors, particularly David Sarnoff, who made arrangements for McArthur to conduct on a limited basis. Just before Flagstad left the Met in 1941, on the night of her 100th performance of Isolde, she received 100 roses, courtesy of Melchior and Johnson.
Did You Know?
- Flagstad's debut at the Metropolitan Opera on 2 February 1935 was broadcast nationwide, and intermission host Geraldine Farrar discarded her prepared notes to announce that a new star had just been born.
- Giulio Gatti-Casazza, General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera, said, 'I have given America two great gifts — Caruso and Flagstad.'
- Flagstad and Sonja Henie are the only two Norwegians to have their own stars on Hollywood's 'Walk of Fame.'
- On the night of her 100th performance of Isolde at the Met in 1941, she received 100 roses from Lauritz Melchior and Edward Johnson, despite a long-running feud with Melchior.
- Flagstad's ability to learn roles quickly was noted, as it often took her only a few days to do so.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Kirsten Flagstad?
Kirsten Flagstad was a Norwegian soprano born in 1895 who became the defining Wagnerian voice of the twentieth century. She was widely nicknamed 'the voice of the century' for the sheer power and beauty of her instrument.
What role is Kirsten Flagstad most famous for?
She is best remembered for her commanding interpretations of Wagner's heroines, particularly Brünnhilde and Isolde. Her ability to sustain those enormous dramatic roles with both vocal power and emotional depth set her apart from every other soprano of her time.
What made her Metropolitan Opera debut legendary?
On 2 February 1935, Flagstad stepped in as a last-minute replacement for a sick singer in a performance of Tristan und Isolde. The audience erupted in a standing ovation so prolonged that she had to re-enter the stage multiple times, and the event is still cited as one of the most electrifying moments in Met history.
Why is Kirsten Flagstad important to opera history?
She raised the standard for what a soprano could achieve in the Wagnerian repertoire, proving that a single voice could carry the full weight of those massive dramatic works. Her influence on subsequent generations of Wagnerian sopranos remains profound.
When was Kirsten Flagstad born and when did she die?
She was born on 12 July 1895 in Kristiania (now Oslo), Norway, and passed away on 7 December 1962. Her career spanned the first half of the twentieth century, a period during which she dominated the international stage.
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