Her father founded , and both parents ran , the Opera Comique in Kristiania ( later Oslo ) , Norway ( 1918 -- 1921 ) .
Opera was the family business , and Varnay grew up backstage at the world 's opera houses .
Varnay 's father founded , and both parents ran , the Opera Comique in Kristiania ( later Oslo ) , Norway ( 1918 -- 1921 ) .
Opera was the family business , and Varnay grew up backstage at the world 's opera houses .