Agnes Baltsa, who turned 80 this week,was snapoped up by Karajan for Vienna and Salzburg at the age of 25. She became the foremost Carmen of her time, but she learned very quickly to manage her own time and avoid getting typecast or railroaded in ways that would damage her glorious mezzo-soprano voice.
She married the German bass Günter Missenhardt in 1974 and kept her personal life strictly private. She was never going to repeat the Callas shipwreck and her voice remained in fine shape well into her 70s. Here are a few of my favourite tracks
Many happy returns, Agnes.
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.jpg?w=160&resize=160,160&ssl=1 "Anna Clyne in residence, collaborations with Jess Gillam, Alice Sarah Ott & Rushil Ranjan, Britten's War Requiem at Coventry Cathedral: the CBSO 2026/27 season")
