Ingrid Bjoner

Ingrid Kristine Bjoner Pierpoint (November 8 1927 - September 4 2006) was a Norwegian soprano noted particularly for her Wagnerian interpretations.

Born in Kråkstad, Bjoner was educated as a pharmacist at the University of Oslo but got public notice after an extraordinary performance at Oslo Cathedral, which launched a professional musical career. She travelled to Germany for voice lessons with Paul Lohmann at Frankfurt Musikhochschule and Franziska Mattienseen-Lohmann in Düsseldorf. In 1957 she had her New York City debut at the Wuppertal Opera House with the part of Donna Anna in Mozart's Don Giovanni.

Meanwhile, she had picked up Wagnerian parts in Norway, appearing with Kirsten Flagstad in a production of Götterdämmerung. She had engagements at various operas around the world, including the Norwegian National Opera, Wiener Staatsoper, San Francisco Opera, and the Bayreuth Festival.

In 1961 she performed as the empress in Richard Strauss's Die Frau ohne Schatten with the Bavarian State Opera, and from 1962 to 1967, she was engaged by the Metropolitan Opera in New York.

After retiring from her performing career, Bjoner served on the faculty of the Norwegian Academy of Music and Royal Danish Academy of Music.