Ellen Winther
Ellen Winther Lembourn (née Sørensen; 11 August 1933, Århus – 13 August 2011) was a Danish opera singer, best known internationally for her participation in the 1962 Eurovision Song Contest.
Ellen Winther | |
|---|---|
Ellen Winther at the Eurovision Song Contest 1962 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Ellen Sørensen |
| Born | 11 August 1933 Århus, Denmark |
| Died | 13 August 2011 (aged 78) |
| Genres | Opera, Musical theatre |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
Winther trained as an opera singer and made her professional debut in 1957 at the Royal Danish Theatre, where she would be employed for 30 years both as a singer and a dramatic actress. In the 1959 Disney animated classic Sleeping Beauty she voiced the Danish version of Aurora. In 1962, Winther won the Danish Eurovision Song Contest selection with the song "Vuggevise" ("Lullaby"), and went forward to the seventh Eurovision Song Contest, held in Luxembourg City on 18 March. "Vuggevise" finished in joint 10th place out of 16 entries.
Besides her succes in operas, stage musicals and revues, Winther also became well known to Danish audiences by many appearances in film and television. This included her portrayal of Minna Varnæs in Matador in 1978. In 1983, she was awarded the Order of the Dannebrog for her contribution to the arts in Denmark..