Joyce Arleen Auger (sometimes spelled Augér /oʊˈʒeɪ/; September 13, 1939 – June 10, 1993)[1] was an American coloratura soprano, known for her interpretations of works by Bach, Handel, Haydn, Monteverdi, Mozart, and Schubert.

[10] Auger was signed by the Vienna State Opera and made her debut as the Queen of the Night[11] in Mozart's The Magic Flute conducted by Josef Krips.

[9] In 1974, Auger left the Vienna State Opera to pursue her career in concert and devote more time to teaching at the Salzburg Mozarteum, where she was a professor in the early-1970s.

From this time, she turned to lyrical roles in opera, preferring concert singing in early music, as well as lieder, often accompanied by pianist Irwin Gage.

In 1993, she won a Grammy Award for "Best Classical Vocal Performance" for her recording titled The Art of Arleen Auger (Works Of Larsen, Purcell, Schumann, Mozart).

Following her death, a memorial service was held at the Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel where works by Bach, Mozart, Fauré and others were performed by well-known musicians, including Renée Fleming and Karen Holvik.

[6] Auger made nearly 200 recordings throughout her career, ranging from works by Bach, Mozart and Handel to offbeat opera and song projects.

Many of her recordings received global recognition, including the Grand Prix du Disque, the Edison Prize, and the Deutscher Schallplattenpreis.

Her portrayal of the Countess in Mozart's opera Le Nozze di Figaro with the Drottningholm Court Theater Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Arnold Oestman is considered to be widely recognized.

Auger sang the lead role in a Virgin Classics recording of Monteverdi's work L'Incoronazione di Poppea, as well as Schubert's songs with fortepianist Lambert Orkis.

Current issues on Virgin include Canteloube's Songs of the Auvergne with Yan Pascal Tortelier conducting the English Chamber Orchestra (VC 7 90714-2; CD and cassette).

For Deutsche Grammophon, Auger recorded Handel's Messiah with Trevor Pinnock and the English Concert (Archiv 423 630-2 AH; all three formats), the Dixit Dominus of Handel with Simon Preston and the Westminster Abbey Chorus and Orchestra (Archiv 423 594-2 AH; CD only), and Mozart's Exsultate, Jubilate, Coronation Mass and Vespers with Leonard Bernstein and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra.