Early Life and Education:
Blegen was born and raised in Bemidji, Minnesota. She studied voice at the University of Minnesota and the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. She also attended The Juilliard School in New York City, where she was a member of the opera studio.
Operatic Career:
Judith Blegen made her operatic debut in 1971 as Micaëla in Bizet's "Carmen" with the Minnesota Opera. She made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 1973 as Susanna in Mozart's "Le Nozze di Figaro". She has since performed leading roles in numerous operas at the Met, including Zerlina in "Don Giovanni", Pamina in "The Magic Flute", Sophie in "Der Rosenkavalier", Marguerite in "Faust", Mimi in "La Bohème", Violetta in "La Traviata", and the title role in "Madama Butterfly".
Blegen has also appeared in leading roles with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the San Francisco Opera, the Los Angeles Opera, the Houston Grand Opera, the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and the Bavarian State Opera. She has sung with major symphony orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Recordings:
Judith Blegen has made numerous recordings, including complete opera recordings, solo recitals, and collaborations with other artists. Among her notable recordings are "Don Giovanni" with James Levine conducting the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, "The Magic Flute" with Sir Georg Solti conducting the Vienna Philharmonic, and "La Traviata" with Nello Santi conducting the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. She has also recorded art songs by composers such as Schubert, Brahms, and Berg.
Awards and Honors:
Judith Blegen has received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to opera, including:
* Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording (1983)
* Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical (1985)
* Grammy Award for Best Classical Vocal Performance (1986)
* Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters (1988)
* National Medal of Arts (1997)
* Opera News Award (2004)
Current Activities:
Judith Blegen continues to perform occasionally in concerts and recitals. She is also a professor of music at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where she teaches voice. She has written a memoir titled "Diva: A Memoir", which was published in 2005.