Behrens passed away while in Japan, where she was to participate in a music festival.

Throughout her long career Behrens worked with several modern greats of conducting, including Herbert von Karajan and Leonard Bernstein. She won multiple awards for her singing, such as state honors from Germany and Austria and three Grammy awards, including one in 1989 for her part in Wagner's "Die Walkuere" ("The Valkyrie").

Behrens was born in Varel near Oldenburg, Germany, and was a student of the piano and violin at a young age, according to an obituary released by the secretariat of the Japanese music festival she was to attend.

She began formal music studies while a law student in Freiburg, where her talent was identified by maestro Herbert von Karajan, who invited her to the 1977 Salzburg Festival.

Behrens was especially renowned for her portrayals of heroines of Wagner and Richard Strauss.

Her body will be cremated in Tokyo on Thursday and her ashes will then be taken to the festival for a concert in her memory, news agency AFP reported.

dfm/AFP/Reuters

Editor: Susan Houlton