Judith Blegen, a leading Metropolitan Opera soprano for 21 seasons, dies at 85

The American soprano was remembered for her Adina opposite Luciano Pavarotti and a repertoire spanning Mozart, Strauss, Verdi and Debussy.

American soprano Judith Blegen, whose voice and stage presence made her a familiar figure at the Metropolitan Opera for more than two decades, has died at the age of 85. The company announced her death in a memorial tribute, without specifying the date or cause.

Blegen made her Met debut in 1970 as Papagena in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte. Across 21 seasons, she performed 20 roles, establishing a lasting association with the house through both live appearances and television broadcasts.

A partnership preserved on film

Among her best-known portrayals was Adina in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore, opposite Luciano Pavarotti as Nemorino. They performed the roles together across four seasons, including a widely seen 1981 telecast.

Her most frequent Met role was Sophie in Richard Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier, which she sang 37 times, including in a 1982 television broadcast. Her repertoire also encompassed Susanna in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, Gilda in Verdi’s Rigoletto, Gretel in Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel and Mélisande in Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande.

Beyond the Met

Born in Kentucky in 1941, Blegen studied at the Curtis Institute of Music and developed her early career in Europe, making her principal operatic debut as Olympia in Offenbach’s Les contes d’Hoffmann in Nuremberg in 1965. She subsequently appeared at the Vienna State Opera and other international houses.

Her recordings included music by Berg, Mozart, Haydn, Fauré and Puccini. She retired from the stage in 1991.

Blegen was married to the Met’s longtime concertmaster, Raymond Gniewek, who died in 2021. In its tribute, the company remembered both her artistry and the warmth of her relationships with colleagues. She is survived by her son, Tom Singher.