Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (1915-2006) was a German-born soprano, one of the most famous and debated singers of the twentieth century. She was especially associated with Mozart, Richard Strauss, operetta and Lieder.

In the Pristine catalogue she appears in Beethoven, Mozart, Puccini, Strauss and other repertory with conductors including Furtwängler, Karajan and Giulini.

Schwarzkopf’s singing was highly finished, verbally detailed and intensely cultivated. Her art could seem porcelain, but porcelain painted with a very sharp brush.

Her page is essential by any catalogue measure. Schwarzkopf remains one of the defining vocal personalities of the post-war recording era.