German-born, Austrian-raised soprano Gundula Janowitz was discovered by conductor Herbert von Karajan in 1959 while she was still attending music school. He ushered her onto the stage of the Vienna State Opera, of which she became a permanent member in 1962. She quickly transformed into a major attraction, working with conductors like Georg Solti and Otto Klemperer, among others. The crystalline purity and brisk vibrato of her voice made her a natural lieder singer. Still, she was also renowned for her dramatic roles such as Countess Rosina Almaviva in Mozart’s Figaro and the titular character in Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos.