Background
Rysanek, Leonie was born on November 14, 1926 in Vienna, Austria. Daughter of Peter and Josefine (Hoeberth) Rysanek.
Rysanek, Leonie was born on November 14, 1926 in Vienna, Austria. Daughter of Peter and Josefine (Hoeberth) Rysanek.
Student, Vienna Conservatory, 1949.
First singing engagements include Bayreuth, (Sieglinde-Die Walkure), 1951, San Francisco Opera, (Senta-Der Fliegende Hollaender), 1956, Metropolitan Opera, (Lady Macbeth), 1959. Now appears in world's foremost opera houses, New York City, Vienna, Milan, San Francisco, London, Paris, (Chrysothemis-Elektra 1973), Berlin, (Gioconda 1974), Munich, Hamburg, Budapest, Moscow, (Parsifal 1975), and festivals of Salzburg, (Kaiserin-Die Frau Ohne Schatten 1974), Bayreuth, Orange, (Salome 1974), Sieglinde-Die Walkuere, 1975, Aix en Provende, Athens, (Medea 1973), Edinburgh recordings for Radio Corporation of America Victor, Deutsche Grammophon, London Records, Electric and Music Industries and Phillips, Kundry, Parsifal (Stuttgart 1978), Kammersangerin of Austria and Bavaria, Kostelnicka, Jenufa, Australian Opera, 1985, Vienna, 1986, San Francisco, 1986, New York Carnegie Hall, 1988. Only artist to sing three major roles in opera Elektra on videocassette.Debut Spain, Sieglinde in Die Walküre, Kostelnicka in Janufa, Carnegie Hall, 1988, Liceo, Barcelona, Spain, 1989, Kabanicha in Katya Kabanova, Paris and Los Angeles, 1988, Klytaemnesha in Elektra, Marseille, France, 1989, Orange, 1991, Metropolitan Opera, New York City, 1992, 95-96, Old Countess, Queen of Spades, Barcelona, 1992, San Francisco, 1994, South America Teatro Color, Buenos Aires, 1995, Rio de Janeiro, 1996, Operate Farewell Salzburg Festival, Elektra, 1996. Metropolitan Farewell, 1996.
Honorary member Vienna Staatsoper.
Married Ernst-Ludwig Gausmann, December 23, 1968.