As her voice matured she moved into German repertory with the title role in the Strauss opera Salome (1975), and in 1983 she sang the role of Gutrune in Wagner's Die Götterdämmerung in Bayreuth. Meanwhile, she built an admirable reputation in premieres of new operas and works outside the traditional repertory. She sang the major roles of Denise in the premiere of Tippett's The Knot Garden, Jeanne in the first British production of Penderecki's The Devils of Loudon, and Autonoe in the first British production of Henze's The Bassarids. From these roles she gained a reputation for portraying emotionally damaged heroines. Other roles have included Emilia Marty, the 300-year-old heroine of Janácek's Makropulos Case, three of the four leading female roles in Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmann, and Natasha in Prokofiev's War and Peace. She has recorded several of these roles. She has a very expressive, ringing soprano voice of unusual flexibility. Her timbre is quite individual, and her acting, both vocal and visual, is extraordinary for its intensity and commitment. In 1985 Barstow was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. ~ Joseph Stevenson, Rovi