Gwyneth Jones was born in Wales in 1936 and trained at the Royal College of Music in London, the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, and the International Opera Studio in Zürich. She debuted professionally in 1962 as a mezzo-soprano before transitioning to soprano around 1964, rising to prominence that year when she substituted for Leontyne Price at Covent Garden.

Jones is regarded as one of the greatest Wagnerian dramatic sopranos of the second half of the 20th century, best known for her Brünnhilde in the celebrated 1976 centenary (‘Jahrhundertring’) production at Bayreuth, a recording of which won a Grammy in 1983. She performed at every major opera house including the Met (93 performances across 10 operas through 1995) and La Scala, was made CBE in 1976 and DBE in 1986, and has served as President of the Wagner Society of Great Britain since 1990.

Sources:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwyneth_Jones_(soprano)