Erna Spoorenberg

Who was Erna Spoorenberg?

Erna Spoorenberg was a Dutch soprano.

She was born in Yogyakarta, Java, now part of Indonesia. As a child, she studied the violin and singing and, at the age of 14, she studied under Isa Neuhaus, a singer with the Düsseldorf Opera. Spoorenberg then studied singing under Aaltje Noordewier until she was 17, whilst continuing her violin lessons under Julius Röntgen. At the conservatory, she decided to pursue singing in preference to the violin.

In 1947, she made her debut on Radio Hilversum, singing Mozart's motet Exsultate, jubilate.

In 1949, she auditioned for Karl Böhm and was given a guest contract at the Vienna State Opera, soon becoming a permanent member. Her performances there included:

Donizetti: Don Pasquale

Millöcker: Der Bettelstudent

Mozart The Magic Flute, Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, Così fan tutte

Nicolai Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor

Offenbach: The Tales of Hoffmann

Johann Strauss II: Die Fledermaus

Richard Strauss: Elektra

Verdi: Rigoletto.