Press headshot via The Metropolitan Opera (metopera.org)
Waltraud Meier
Dramatic Soprano
Born January 9, 1956 in Würzburg, Germany (70 years old)
Opera
A German dramatic soprano of commanding presence and interpretive depth, Waltraud Meier redefined Wagnerian heroines and Straussian protagonists for the late twentieth century, commanding the world's greatest opera stages with her powerful voice and magnetic artistry.
8 Signature Roles7 Principal Houses
Spotlight
Career Trajectory
Beginning her professional career in 1976 as a mezzo-soprano, Waltraud Meier established herself through regional German opera houses before her transformative 1983 Bayreuth performance as Kundry in *Parsifal* propelled her to international prominence. Over four decades, she became the preeminent interpreter of Wagner's dramatic female roles and Richard Strauss heroines, commanding the world's greatest opera stages with a voice of burnished power and an interpretive intelligence that combined vocal mastery with profound musical and dramatic insight. She retired from the stage in 2023 as one of the most honored and celebrated dramatic sopranos of her generation.
Career Highlight
Triumphant performance as Kundry in Wagner's *Parsifal* at the Bayreuth Festival, which launched her international career (1983)
At a Glance
- Voice
- Dramatic Soprano
- Nationality
- German
- Born
- 1956 · Würzburg, Germany
- Active since
- 1983
Engagements
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