Welitsch, Ljuba (1913–1996)

Bulgarian-born Austrian soprano. She played the violin as a child, but studied philosophy at Sofia University, before studying singing in Vienna with Lierhammer. She made her debut in 1936 in Sofia, and subsequently sang at Graz, Hamburg, and Munich. She appeared at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London with the Vienna opera company, singing her most famous role, Salome. She later returned to the Royal Opera House to sing Musetta, Aïda, and Tosca. She appeared in New York at the Metropolitan Opera House, between 1948 and 1952.