Martha Mödl (March 22, 1912, in Nuremberg – December 17, 2001, in Stuttgart) was a German soprano, and later a mezzo-soprano. She specialized in large dramatic roles such as Isolde, Brünnhilde, and particularly Kundry, and is considered, along with Astrid Varnay and Birgit Nilsson, one of the three major postwar Wagner sopranos. She was among the preeminent Wagner sopranos—and most compelling singing actresses—of the twentieth century. Mödl was celebrated for her highly individualized interpretations, exceptional acting ability, intense stage presence, and "rich, sexy voice." Her career peaked in the early and mid 1950s, which included her Brünnhilde in Wilhelm Furtwängler's 1953 recording of Der Ring des Nibelungen, along with the title role from Fidelio of the same conductor and year, and Isolde in Herbert von Karajan's 1952 Tristan und Isolde, live from Bayreuth. There have been fully ten recordings of her Kundry released commercially, most associated with the Bayreuth Festival, all from 1949-59. Although she is most known for her portrayals of Wagner's major heroines from 1951-5, her continuous performing career (as mezzo-soprano after the 1950s) lasted in excess of half a century, well into the singer's eighties, through which her acting abilities remained intact... [ Ссылка ]
Lyrics & English Translation
In childhood's early days,
I often heard them speak of angels,
Who would exchange Heaven's sublime bliss
For the Earth's sun.
So that, when an anxious heart in dread
Is full of longing, hidden from the world;
So that, when it wishes silently to bleed
And melt away in a trickle of tears,
So that, when its prayer ardently
Pleads only for release,
Then the angel floats down
And gently lifts it to Heaven.
Yes, an angel has come down to me,
And on glittering wings
It leads, far away from every pain,
My soul now heavenwards!
Please Enjoy!
I send my kind and warm regards,
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