Ivar Frithiof Andresen (27 July 1896 – 6 November 1940) was a Norwegian operatic singer who pursued a successful international career in Europe and the United States.

Andresen was the first Norwegian to perform at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City[1] (preceding his famous compatriot, the great Wagnerian soprano Kirsten Flagstad, by five years).

[2] He then performed at the Dresden Semperoper (in 1926–1931) and the Städtische Oper Berlin (1931–1935), and also appeared as a guest artist at the New York Met (1930–1932)[2] and the Bayreuth Festival (1927–1936).

Andresen's singing earned considerable critical acclaim during his appearances in England, America and Germany, but developing health problems would curtail his career, and he died at the age of 44, in Stockholm, during the early stages of World War II.

[3] Today, in Norway, Andresen is probably best known not for being an opera star, but for adorning the box of the cough-drop brand "IFA", produced by the Nidar company.