Opera Singer. A versatile soprano of wide repertoire, she is remembered for her 40 year career at the Munich Hofoper (now, Bavarian State Opera). Born Sophie Hartmann to a musical family, she took to the stage early, joined the Munich Hofoper chorus in 1835, and made her solo debut on December 1, 1836 as Angelina from Luigi Cherubini's "The Water Carrier". Engaged as a permanent member of the company after making a good impression as Benjamin in Etienne Mehul's "Joseph", she sang parts large and small, eventually totaling 122 roles in 94 operas. A gifted Mozartean, she sang all six female roles in "The Magic Flute" and all save Marcellina in "The Marriage of Figaro". Married to tenor Ernst Friedrich Diez (1805-1892) in 1841, she used his name for the stage; Sophie appeared in the world premieres of at least five operas, though all except for Wagner's "Die Meistersinger" in which she was Magdalena for the June 21, 1868 Munich first performance under the baton of Hans von Bulow, are long-forgotten. A frequent guest artist in Stuttgart, Dresden, Hamburg, and Cologne, she was designated Kammersangerin (KS) in 1866, retired in 1877, and gave one final performance in 1878. The young Richard Strauss dedicated some of his early songs including the 1879 "Fur Musik" to her; occasional sources render her married name as Dietz.
Opera Singer. A versatile soprano of wide repertoire, she is remembered for her 40 year career at the Munich Hofoper (now, Bavarian State Opera). Born Sophie Hartmann to a musical family, she took to the stage early, joined the Munich Hofoper chorus in 1835, and made her solo debut on December 1, 1836 as Angelina from Luigi Cherubini's "The Water Carrier". Engaged as a permanent member of the company after making a good impression as Benjamin in Etienne Mehul's "Joseph", she sang parts large and small, eventually totaling 122 roles in 94 operas. A gifted Mozartean, she sang all six female roles in "The Magic Flute" and all save Marcellina in "The Marriage of Figaro". Married to tenor Ernst Friedrich Diez (1805-1892) in 1841, she used his name for the stage; Sophie appeared in the world premieres of at least five operas, though all except for Wagner's "Die Meistersinger" in which she was Magdalena for the June 21, 1868 Munich first performance under the baton of Hans von Bulow, are long-forgotten. A frequent guest artist in Stuttgart, Dresden, Hamburg, and Cologne, she was designated Kammersangerin (KS) in 1866, retired in 1877, and gave one final performance in 1878. The young Richard Strauss dedicated some of his early songs including the 1879 "Fur Musik" to her; occasional sources render her married name as Dietz.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
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