Born in Toruń in 1951, Rappé originally studied Slavic philology at Warsaw University before turning to voice, graduating with distinction from the Wrocław Academy of Music.
She won the 1980 International Bach Competition in Leipzig, launching a four-decade career that spanned Baroque to contemporary music and produced nearly 60 recordings for Decca, Philips, Erato and other labels.
Equally at home in concert halls and opera houses, Rappé sang under conductors Riccardo Chailly, Sir Colin Davis and Nikolaus Harnoncourt, and premiered works by Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki, including the Seven Gates of Jerusalem in 1997 under Lorin Maazel.
On stage, she was best known as Erda in Wagner’s Ring cycle, appearing at Deutsche Oper Berlin, London’s Covent Garden, La Monnaie in Brussels and the Vienna State Opera. Her festival credits included Salzburg, Wien Modern and Warsaw Autumn.
Rappé taught for many years at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw and the Academy of Music in Gdańsk, mentoring a new generation of Polish singers.
(mk/jh)