Inga Nielsen

Inga Elisabeth Nielsen, born June 2, 1946, in Holbæk, Denmark, was a Danish soprano known for her international opera career from 1971 to 2006. At six, she performed on American radio and released recordings of Danish folk songs. Nielsen's professional debut was as Laura in Millöcker's Der Bettelstudent at the Musiktheater im Revier in Gelsenkirchen in 1971. She joined Oper Frankfurt in 1975 and made her U.S. debut at the New York City Opera in 1980 as Adele in Die Fledermaus. Notable roles included Konstanze in Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail and the title role in Strauss's Salome. She was awarded the Tagea Brandt Rejselegat (Travel Scholarship) in 1984 and appointed Knight of Dannebrog by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark in 1992. Nielsen passed away on February 10, 2008.