Kirsten Flagstad

Kirsten Flagstad, born on July twelfth, nineteen ninety-five, was a remarkable Norwegian opera singer renowned for her extraordinary talent as a Wagnerian soprano. Her illustrious career is marked by a legendary debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York on February second, nineteen thirty-five, a moment that would become a cornerstone of her legacy.

Flagstad's voice was celebrated as 'the voice of the century,' and she is often regarded as one of the greatest singers of the twentieth century. Her artistry captivated audiences and critics alike, with Desmond Shawe-Taylor noting in the New Grove Dictionary of Opera that no one in living memory surpassed her in the sheer beauty and consistency of her line and tone.

Giulio Gatti-Casazza, the esteemed General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera, famously remarked, 'I have given America two great gifts — Caruso and Flagstad.' This statement underscores her monumental impact on the world of opera and her status as a defining figure in the genre.