10 Facts About Ruth Siewert

Ruth Siewert was a German contralto and voice teacher.

Ruth Siewert performed roles by Richard Wagner at major opera houses in Europe and at the Bayreuth Festival, and was known as a singer of oratorio and Lied.

Ruth Siewert made her stage debut in Bremen in 1938, but became known especially as a concert singer from 1946.

Ruth Siewert was a member of the ensemble of the Staatstheater Karlsruhe from 1955 to 1956, and of the Dusseldorf Opera from 1956 to 1959.

Ruth Siewert performed in Wagner operas at the Bayreuth Festival, first in 1951 the role of Erda in Der Ring des Nibelungen, the same year Schwertleite in Die Walkure, the First Norne in Gotterdammerung, later Waltraute and Fricka in The Ring and the alto solo in Parsifal.

Ruth Siewert sang Wagner roles at major opera houses in Europe: at the Royal Opera House in London Erda and Fricka, at La Scala in Milan Waltraute in Gotterdammerung and Erda, at the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples Erda and Fricka, at the Teatro Nuovo di Torino and at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna Erda, and at La Fenice in Venice Erda and Waltraute.

Ruth Siewert appeared as Erda, Fricka and Waltraute at the Ring Cycle of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino.

Ruth Siewert performed Wagner roles in Paris, Bordeaux, Nancy, Nizza and Toulouse, at La Monnaie in Brussels and the Liceu in Barcelona.

Ruth Siewert was known as an oratorio singer, and performed Lieder by Yrjo Kilpinen, in collaboration with the composer.

Ruth Siewert took part in a 1961 recording of Beethoven's symphonies with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Rene Leibowitz, performing the alto solo in the Ninth alongside Inge Borkh, Richard Lewis and Ludwig Weber.