Magna Lykseth-Skogman (6 February 1874 – 13 November 1949) was a Norwegian-born Swedish operatic soprano. After making her debut at the
Royal Swedish Opera (Kungliga Operan) in 1901 as Santuzza in
Cavalleria rusticana, she was engaged there until 1918 and became the company's
prima donna. Lykseth performed leading roles in a wide range of operas but is remembered in particular for her Wagnerian interpretations, creating Brünnhilde in the Swedish premieres of
Siegfried and
Götterdämmerung, as well as Isolde in
Tristan und Isolde in 1909. Considered to be one of the most outstanding Swedish opera singers of her generation, she was awarded the
Litteris et Artibus, a Swedish royal medal for the arts, in 1907 and became a member of the
Royal Swedish Academy of Music in 1912. This 1909 photograph shows Lykseth in costume as Isolde with the Kungliga Operan.
Photograph credit: Atelier Jaeger; restored by Adam Cuerden