Lucia Poppová was born in Záhorská Ves in the Slovak State (later Czechoslovakia; present-day Slovakia). Her mother was a soprano, with whom the young Lucia often sang duets at home. Her father, an engineer, was at one time a cultural attaché to the British embassy.[2]
As she reached her 30s in the 1970s, Popp turned from coloratura roles to lyric ones. By the 1980s when she was in her 40s and her voice matured further, she added more substantial roles such as Countess in Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, the title role in Strauss's Arabella, Adina in L'elisir d'amore, and the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier.[4] As a result of this vocal progression, Popp sang various roles in the same opera at different stages in her career, including Zdenka and Arabella in Richard Strauss's Arabella; Susanna and the Countess in Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro; Queen of the Night and Pamina in Mozart's The Magic Flute; Zerlina, Donna Elvira, and later Donna Anna in Mozart's Don Giovanni; Adele and Rosalinde in Johann Strauss II's Die Fledermaus; Ännchen and Agathe in Weber's Der Freischütz; and Sophie and the Marschallin in Richard Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier.[6]
She played "Tereza" in the 1963 Slovak film Jánošík [sk] about the Slovak highwaymanJuraj Jánošík.[7]
She played ”Anna Page” in Merry ”Wives of Windsor” 1965 film, on music by Otto Nicolai.
Personal life and death
Her first husband was Hungarian pianist and conductor György Fischer.[8] In 1973, she began a long relationship with Peter Jonas, who was then artistic administrator of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. They had married but divorced in the 1980s.
Popp died of brain cancer in 1993 in Munich, Germany, at the age of 54.[3] She was buried in Cintorín Slávičie údolie, Bratislava. She was survived by her husband, German tenor Peter Seiffert, whom she married in 1986. In March 2007, on BBC Music magazine's list of the "20 All-time Best Sopranos" based on a poll of 21 British music critics and BBC presenters, Popp placed seventh.[9] On 12 June 2017, a bust of her by Juraj Čutek was unveiled in the Vienna State Opera.[10]
Recordings
Popp, 1986
Popp rarely recorded roles she did not perform on stage (with a few exceptions, including Elisabeth in Wagner's Tannhäuser and the title role in Richard Strauss's Daphne). The following is a selection of her recordings:
Wagner: Tannhäuser (as Elisabeth), with König, Moll, W. Meier, and Haitink (EMI).
Bizet: Djamileh (as Djamileh), with Bonisolli, Lafont, Pineau, and Gardelli (Orfeo)
Videography
She can be seen in the role of Pamina in a performance of The Magic Flute, recorded live at the Bayerische Staatsoper in 1983, and published by Philips, catalogue number 070 505-3. Also, in Smetana's The Bartered Bride as Marie (the female lead). Recorded in 1982 in Vienna, published by Deutsche Grammophon Catalogue number 00440 073 4360, and in Die Fledermaus as Rosalinda (TDK). Also in Orff's Carmina Burana as the female lead in the Court of Love. Recorded in 1975, published by BMG Ariola catalogue number 74321 85285 9. She can also be seen as Marzelline in Beethoven's Fidelio with Gundula Janowitz conducted by Leonard Bernstein.[11]
