Helena Jungwirth

Helena Jungwirth (21 March 1945 — 27 January 2023) was a Swedish mezzo-soprano opera singer. While training at the Music and Drama School in Stockholm, in 1969 she married the tenor Claes-Håkan Ahnsjö. In 1972, she made her debut at the Drottningholm Palace Theatre as Dorabella in Mozart's Così fan tutte. The following year, together with her husband she was engaged by the Bavarian State Opera in Munich where she went on to perform with success in a wide repertoire. In 1987, at the Berlin State Opera she sang the title role in Rossini's La Cenerentola. She was honoured with the title of Bavarian Kammersängerin in 1996.

Life and career Born in Stockholm on 21 March 1945, Jungwirth studied opera at Stockholm's Music and Drama School (Statens musikdramatiska skola) from 1969 to 1972. In 1969, she married the successful Swedish tenor Claes-Håkon Ahnsjö.

Helena Jungwirth died in the Planegg district of Munich on 27 January 2023. She is survived by her husband, her three sons Fredrik, Mattias, Sven, and their families.

Awards

In December 1996, Jungwirth was honoured with the title of Bayerische Kammersängerin. In presenting the award, the Bavarian minister of culture Hans Zehetmair recognized how in more than 1,400 performances over a period of 23 years, Jungwirth had impressed her audiences in her many roles with her stage presence, her dramatic flexibility and her confident vocal delivery.