Karl Aagaard Østvig

Karl Aagaard Østvig (sometimes Germanized to Oestvig) (17 May 1889 – 21 July 1968) was a Norwegian operatic tenor, opera director, and voice teacher.

[1] His voice was described by soprano Lotte Lehmann as “a dazzling meteor.”[2] Although he toured internationally in concerts, operas, and recitals, his singing career was mainly centered in Austria and Germany from his debut in 1914 up until his retirement from the stage in 1933.

[3] Born in Oslo, Østvig studied singing privately with Wilhelm Cappele Kloed in Germany, and at the Cologne University of Music with Fritz Steinbach and Franz Wüllner.

With that company he performed the role of the Emperor in the world premiere of Richard Strauss's Die Frau ohne Schatten opposite Maria Jeritza as the Empress.

His other roles in Vienna included Cavaradossi in Tosca, Don José in Carmen, Manrico in Il trovatore, Pedro in Tiefland, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, Siegmund in Die Walküre, Tamino in The Magic Flute, Walther in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, and the title roles in Lohengrin, Parsifal, Tannhäuser, and The Tales of Hoffmann.