Christel Glotz was born in Dortmund, Germany in 1912 and began her studies
in piano, dancing and singing with Ornelli-Leeb in Munich in 1930. Five years
later she joined the Chorus of Furth Opera, making her solo début as
Agathe in Der Freischütz later that season. She then sang in Plauen,
which led to to her first appearance at the Staatsoper Dresden as Reiza in Weber's
Oberon. She would remain with this company until 1950. In 1947 she also
became a member of both Staatsoper and Städtische Oper in Berlin. Her London
début at Covent Garden was as Salome, followed by Marie in the British
stage première of Berg's Wozzeck under Erich Kleiber. In 1954
she appeared at the Salzburg Festival and then her United States début
at the Metropolitan Opera in New York with six performances of Salome. She also
appeared in Buenos Aires and sang regularly in Munich, Vienna and Berlin until
1970. A fine actress and performer of great intensity, her voice was both brilliant
and clear over a range of three octaves. She appeared in the premières
of Carl Orff's Antigone and Liebermann's Penelope. She was particularly
admired as Salome, a rôle she recorded three times, in 1950, 1954 and
1963, as Marie and as Elektra.