Edith Mathis

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Edith Mathis (born February 11, 1938, Lucerne) is a Swiss soprano. She studied in Lucerne and debuted there in 1956 in The Magic Flute. Mozart would remain one of her specialties, with her roles including Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro, Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Despina in Cosi fan tutte and Pamina in The Magic Flute. Indeed, she recorded the latter role in 1980, opposite Karin Ott and Janet Perry, under Herbert von Karajan. Other roles she sang include Sophie and the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier and Agathe and Aennchen in Der Freischütz.

Mathis also sang in the premières of von Einem's Der Zerissene, Henze's Der junge Lord[1] and Heinrich Sutermeister's Le roi Berénger. She was also a singer of oratorios and Lieder. Her Lieder recordings include Volume 21 of the complete songs of Franz Schubert for Hyperion Records.

Several of her most notable recorded roles in Mozartian opera include Susanna in Le Nozze Di Figaro for the Berlin Staatsoper with Karl Bohm conducting, as well Idamante in Idomeneo with the Staatskapelle Dresden. A re-released recording of Don Giovanni with the Vienna Philharmonic and Karl Bohm from the 1977 Salzburg Festival features her in one of her best-known roles, Zerlina.

[edit] Edith Mathis and Gundula Janowitz, Le nozze di Figaro

Probably best known to most people for a marvelous recording of, "Cia Che soave zeffiretto" played during the film The Shawshank Redemption

[edit] References

  1. ^ Andrew Porter, "Reports from Abroad: Berlin - Henze's New Opera" (June 1965). The Musical Times, 106 (1468): pp. 453-455.