Hertha Töpper (German: ['hɛrta 'tœpər]; 19 April 1924 – 28 March 2020)[1] was an Austrian contralto in opera and concert, and an academic voice teacher.
[2] In 1945, she made her operatic debut at the Graz Opera as Ulrica in Verdi's Un ballo in maschera.
[2] The first Bayreuth Festival after World War II invited her in 1951 for Wagner's Ring cycle.
[3][2] Also in 1951, she first performed at the Bavarian State Opera in the title role of Der Rosenkavalier by Richard Strauss.
[3] Other significant roles included Dorabella in Mozart's Così fan tutte, Fricka in Das Rheingold, Brangäne in Tristan und Isolde, Magdalene in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, the title role in Bizet's Carmen, Lady Macbeth in Verdi's Macbeth, Eboli in Verdi's Don Carlo, Amneris in Aida, Hänsel in Humperdinck's Hänsel und Gretel, Judith in Bartok's Bluebeard's Castle and Iocaste in Stravinsky's Oedipus rex.