Roberta Knie

Roberta Knie (13 March 1938 – 16 March 2017) was an American dramatic soprano who had a prominent opera career in the United States and Europe that spanned from the mid-1960s through the early 1980s. Possessing a strong and clear timbre, Knie became particularly known for her interpretations of the works of Richard Wagner.

A native of Cordell, Oklahoma, Knie studied at University of Oklahoma under Elisabeth Parham, Judy Bounds Coleman and the famous Eva Turner. She moved to Germany to study with Max Lorenz for a short period before making her professional opera debut in 1964 at the Hagen Theatre as Elisabeth in Wagner's Tannhäuser. She joined the Stadttheater Freiburg in 1966 where she sang roles for three years.

In 1969 she joined Graz Opera, singing there for three seasons in such roles as Leonore in Beethoven's Fidelio and the title roles in Richard Strauss's Salome and Puccini's Tosca. From 1972-73 she sang with the Oper der Stadt Köln and at the Opernhaus Zürich. The year 1974 proved to be a milestone in Knie's career. She replaced an ailing singer at the last minute in the role of Brünnhilde in Wagner's Ring Cycle at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus. Her performance was hailed by audience and critics alike and her profile as an opera singer was significantly raised; leading to contracts with major opera houses in successive years. Also in 1974 she sang the Ring Cycle again at the Opéra National de Lyon and appeared at the Teatro di San Carlo.

...
Wikipedia