# Happy 93rd birthday to Christa Ludwig



## Parsifal98 (Apr 29, 2020)

Today is Christa Ludwig's birthday and she is turning 93! Apart from being one the great voices of the 20th century, she is also one of the last remnants of a bygone era. She sang under the direction of Böhm, Klemperer, von Karajan, Bernstein, Serafin, Kempe and performed alongside Schwarzkopf, Vickers, Nilsson, Callas, Corelli, Frick, Ghiaurov and so many others. To celebrate her career, please share with us performances which are for you great demonstrations of her artistry! I'll start:

Here is a performance of _Abscheulicher_ from Beethoven's _Fidelio_: 





_Der Tod und das Mädchen_ by Schubert with Gerald Moore:





_Fahr' heim! Du stolzer Helde!_ from Lohengrin:





And _Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen_ by Gustav Mahler (the lied she would like for her funerals)





Here is a short interview done in 1994:





And another one in 2020 about von Karajan:





And finally, a written interview done in 2017: https://www.limelightmagazine.com.au/news/christa-ludwig-raises-an-eyebrow-at-netrebko-and-overhype/


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## Music Snob (Nov 14, 2018)

Happy Birthday Christa Ludwig!!!


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

I used to listen to her a lot. I love her German Una voce poco fa with a C6 and her Fidelio. Creamy rich voice with variable vibrato that can be effective.


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## Open Book (Aug 14, 2018)

From Mahler's "Das Lied von der Erde" with Bernstein and Israel Philharmonic, she sings "Von der Schoenheit" starting at 22:17.





She stood up to Leonard Bernstein. This rehearsal clip shows her contesting Bernstein's fast tempo in the middle section.


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## GraemeG (Jun 30, 2009)

Heard her just the once - in 1989. Salzburg festival. Mahler 2, VPO, Levine conducting. Sang with Battle. Good concert, even if Levine not that convincing.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Performer Birthdays


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Lady Macbeth isn't a role that she's usually remembered for, but it's one that her voice suited.






N.


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## Parsifal98 (Apr 29, 2020)

Rogerx said:


> Performer Birthdays


Thank you for referring this thread to me. I did not know it existed. But I don't think my post would have fitted. More than wishing her an happy birthday, I wanted to celebrate Frau Ludwig's artistry and role as a link between the past and the present. I should have chosen a thread title that would have better expressed my intentions!


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