Astrid Varnay (1918-2006) was a Swedish-born American dramatic soprano, one of the great Wagner singers of the twentieth century. She made a sensational Metropolitan Opera debut in 1941 and later became central to post-war Bayreuth.

Varnay’s repertory included Brünnhilde, Isolde, Elektra, Salome, Kundry and many other dramatic roles. In the Pristine catalogue she appears in Wagner recordings from Bayreuth and related repertory.

Her singing was powerful, intelligent and dramatically fearless, with a voice capable of cutting through large orchestral textures while retaining textual bite. She brought psychological force as well as vocal steel.

Varnay belongs to the great Wagnerian line with Flagstad, Leider, Nilsson and Mödl. Her best recordings do not merely sing the drama; they seem to ignite it from beneath the stage.