Christa Ludwig - Fidelio - Abscheulicher...Komm Hoffnung

[@robertkinkhorst5697]

Rest In Peace, one of the greatest voices of the last century!

[@clarasklang101]

I'm sure she shall:)) And also continue singing in heaven~

[@ruurdvanderworm5213]

Besides Janet Baker my absolute favourite mezzo-soprano. Always the highest quality.

[@Shahrdad]

Such an amazing singer. She never looks like she's trying to sing, but rather looks as if she's just talking, but manages to produce these glorious tones. There is never any sign of strain in her face or neck or body, her jaw never shakes, and her tongue doesn't wag in her mouth when she holds a note (the way Goerke's does). One of the greatest singers of all time.

[@alessela6804]

IT is a playback, stupid piece of shit!!!

[@greve]

Ludwig is here in a class of her own. The aria of Leonore is extraordinary - the music is free of any conventions. Transcendental!

[@debradorfman7940]

Her voice goes right through me.

[@peter7111]

Fantastic singing! Ludwig has it all, beautiful tone with no register breaks, total command of the musical and verbal expression.

[@clarasklang101]

Indeed...

[@beachfanatic2010]

Her voice is HUGE but still kind of lyric. It's hard to classify her. All I know is that she was an amazing very technical and expressive singer! What a voice!

[@sophievermorgen2726]

J.ai étudié le chant pendant des années sous la direction de grandes artistes lyriques, aucune n’a pu définir si j’étais un grand soprano dramatique ou un mezzo aiigü du coup, difficile à classer....pas l’aisance des vraies soprano dans les aigus ni la grande profondeur des vraies mezzo dans le grave...en même temps, j’ai pu jouer sur les 2 tableaux: pas de problème de tessiture sur des mezzo type Charlotte dans Werther, Eboli dans Don Carlo mais toujours la porte ouverte sur les grands dramatiques comme Madeleine de Coigny dans Andrea Chénier ou la Prieure du Dialogue des Carmélites.....sans compter les super rôles pour ce type de voix chez Offenbach......en bref, aucun regret et que du bonheur....avis à toutes celles qui veulent absolument rentrer dans un moule...

[@Nemoxxx-c6u]

Christa Ludwig is so deeply in the role, not only for her vocal splendor and technique but for the moving interpretation. One of the truly great voices of Opera History and a shining light for future generations of singers.

[@thomasguidry4138]

What a performance. One of the great Mezzo sopranos

[@JamesKoenig]

An exquisite singer-- I am a singer and singing teacher. When I was a student I got to have lunch near Ravinia with her and a wonderful pianist Lawrence Davis who was going to play a recital for her. She was so delightful-- Some time later, I turned pages for the recital and she was a great inspiration. I also say her at Chicago Lyric singing the Marshallin. Heaven!

[@MrGer2295]

Happy 89th Birthday, CHRISTA LUDWIG !

[@Ariadne7710]

Fabulous singing from a fabulous singer. What a wonderfully seamless voice from the lower register right up to the top, beautiful timbre, she is truly magnificent. Also great in the Klemperer recording of this role. One of the few great mezzo voices of the 20th century

[@drbarbarabaker]

This is just wonderful. I have always liked Ludwig and loved Fidelio. Together they are amazing. You can tell she loves it too.

[@evavidal-w5z]

I first saw this clip of Christa Ludwig singing Abscheulicher from a PBS/KCET late night all night program CLASSIC ARTS SHOWCASE. I was blown away by the beauty and the power of that big voice! She sounds every bit the heroine that is needed for this role. I also admit I was so moved to tears when I learned the text to the words of this aria. "Let not that last star fade! Hope like a rainbow appears to me and my love will give me strength !". This is so beautiful and it's Beethoven's work ! Christa Ludwig was one of the greats.

[@Azzenstudent]

Ludwig is such a fine artist but even a finer human being. Every gesture, every note makes clear her complete commitment to her character. You can't fake such things, or even be taught them. Great artistry is rare for that reason.

[@amykso]

Best recording of this in existence. She was the best in this role! AMAZING! Could listen to it a million times over and always find it exciting!

[@thomasborgsmidt9801]

Well Anja Kampe has performed very well lately.

[@ulacicha]

so touching that I have tears in my eyes...

[@romearomeo]

Traumhaft, großartig! Eine hervorragende Künstlerin!

[@andysbg77]

ALLES GUTE ZUM GEBURTSTAG CHRISTA LUDWIG!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

[@VeronicaBellSoprano]

With all my passionate love for Jesse Norman's interpretation, this is..... holy cow!

[@acacia-bloom]

This is really magnificent. Not only does she sound completely fresh but her acting interpretation is so sincere. There is another live recording of her singing this aria from a performance at the Salzburger Festival with Böhm (69) here on YT where you can here how nervous she was. She also did not finish the run of those performances. Mercifully this performance will be preserved for the future

[@mattn2470]

Still my favorite opera. Wow, always gets me going and restores my faith in the world. So much conviction in Lenore and Beethoven that they just won't let evil people win. I would have loved to see her sing this with James King. They are both so convicted in their roles and have great voices.

[@babsjr1]

Best Fidelio in my opinion too - I saw her, and met her, many times way back when she was at her peak and I was a student in Vienna. Glad you posted this - brings back so many memories! :))))))))))

[@davisoneill]

Magnificent. Truly sublime.

[@ophistlucho]

Descansa en paz, Maestra!

[@clarasklang101]

🎶😇👍🏻

[@davidmayhew4818]

One heck of a great singer!

[@jmiller05]

The most perfect legato.

[@beachfanatic2010]

In some spots of her voice, she sounds very similar to Schwarzkopf. I feel like Schwarzkopf has a very mezzo timbre.

[@franziskakre8309]

@@beachfanatic2010 Schwarzkopfs first teacher said that she was a mezzo.

[@Orfeus80]

that title goes to Tiana Lemnitz

[@williamadolphe7921]

ok, but no! Nilsson!!!!

[@clarasklang101]

Indeed.:)

[@lindyms]

WOW!! What a glorious voice Christa shows us here. Just awesome!!

[@artdanks]

Wow! I have ro admit, I've never been much of a Ludwig fan. But, I think this performance has changed my mind! I've liked Marilyn Horne on this aria, but after hearing Ludwig...she wins!

[@gilbertovazquez570]

A beautiful voice, masterful interpretation of a Masterpiece!

[@ShawDAMAN]

Stunning. such a rich smooth beautifully produced mezzo voice and what high notes! Best Leonore.

[@pnewman7279]

Simplicity... My first love...

[@greve]

The quartet "Mir ist so wunderbar" is also my favourite - with Martha Mödl &&&.

[@carprinceps]

Adiós inmensa Christa!!! Tu paso por la ópera, el lied, el oratorio y la música dejó marcas imborrables y admiración. Has tenido una carrera ejemplar llena de triunfos y elogios. Oí tu voz por primera vez escuchando a Schubert y me impresionó desde primera escucha. Después tu Adalgisa con M Callas, y por supuesto, tus Mahler con Bernstein, y cómo olvidar tus Branganias. Fuiste una grande humilde y según lo que se dice también genorosa. QPD. Te admiro profundamente. Desde Buenos Aires, Argentina. Dejo testimonio de su Ortrud en el Teatro Colón año 1964 kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z4ScqYt7erimZ8U

[@clarasklang101]

👏🏻 R.I.P.…

[@corellithebest]

Amazing performance! I have the complete recording of her Fidelio on CD with Vickers. I admire her voice and artistry. She is also superb as Adalgisa (with Callas and Corelli).

[@johnh5958]

No one did Fidelio better. I've listened to her recording with Karjan since the mid 70's and have never grown tired of it.

[@williamhouston2687]

Happy belated birthday, Ms. Ludwig! Wonderful voice!

[@elmarkurze1800]

christa Ludwig, the best leonore

[@assindiastignani]

She never "switched" from mezzo to soprano, she simply sang certainn soprano roles which suited her voice and temperament, such as Leonora (Fidelio), Färberin, and Lady Macbeth. At one point in her career (at the urging of Karajan) she learned Isolde, but on the advice of her two main vocal advisors (her mother and Zinka Milanov) never sang it. She always considered herself a mezzo and never even considered becoming a soprano.

[@suzannederringer1607]

Those vocal classifications are arbitrary anyway. You sing what suits your voice.

[@davidsimmons654]

BOOM! Precisely!

[@antoninodemilio5814]

assindiastignani I did not know Zinka was her vocal advisor. Can you tell us something more about their relationship?

[@brookes0]

her roles were vast and her soprano rep was fantastic. loved her mezzo singing also a true superstar!

[@Cosmicprog2012]

The Deutsche Oper Berlin (1963), Chorus and orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin under Arthur Rother, stage director Gustav Rudolf Sellner. [DVD]

[@divox9pqr]

My teacher, Madame Uta Graf @ Manhattan Sch of Music sang Ludwig's praises day and night just for the beautiful legato, and line of the voice. The voice itself was so uniquely beautiful, it defied description.

[@nancyinthehollow]

OMG, I studied with Mrs Graf too, in the 1980s when I was an undergrad at MSM! And, yes, so many of the singers (and lieder!) she introduced me to then are precious to me to this day.

[@jancedricmicheler6122]

Braaavaa Christmas Ludwig is a great Mezzosoprano😊

[@malesoprano]

Exquisit singing. Gorgeous sound and exceptional technique... definetly old school.

[@williamr.langley9854]

NO ONE sings this better than Christa Ludwig! Marilyn Horne's is up there but THIS is SUBLIME!

[@dapheneo]

Elle est la meilleure ! Peut etre l'artiste la plus complete de sa generation . Voix splendide et timbre somptueux. Ecoutez aussi Crespin fabuleuse et voix encore plus feminine et sensuelle.

[@godivapaw]

Such a consistently fabulous singer!

[@alfredoechevarrieta7512]

Muchas gracias.

[@romearomeo]

Eine der beste Interpretin diese Rolle. Einfach genial! Es stimmt alles.

[@aliciasarramida]

Fabulous!!!

[@Operacrazed]

Wow ! This is singing in every sense......amazing leonora...bravo !

[@operoma]

only one word; wonderfull!!!!!!!!

[@pilouetmissiou]

E' semplicemente meraviglioso....

[@infrantasi]

No one ever did what she has with Leonore. Sorry, Ludwig is Numero Une!

[@williamadolphe7921]

definitely not!!! Nilsson was brilliant! Ludwig was nice and average...........

[@oakroom48]

Thank you for this extraordinary post!

[@alsenwulf]

Großartig !!! 😎 😍

[@1sumiresan2]

Wirklich perfekt. Ich hatte sie oft gehört!

[@martadaneri_rebok5183]

Maravillosa. La gozamos en el teatro Colón de Buenos Aires

[@vladimirorivas7020]

Yes! The best Leonora.

[@phoenix4165]

Superb!!!

[@Shahrdad]

Something that amazes watching these great singers of the past is how the sound pours out of them, but there is never a shaking jaw or a waggling tongue when they hold a note. So many young singers today look like they're chewing while they're singing, and you can't tell one apart from the others. Where did the technique go wrong?

[@NLidar]

...Because many of the clips of the older singers were lip synced for TV purposes. Ludwig is not singing live in the above clip.

[@jacobmorris3664]

@@NLidar That's true, but she's not lip-synched here (kzbin.info/www/bejne/oJusl4ybg66Zl5o) and displays the same technical grace. The only difference is that she opens her mouth wider and you can see her incredible breath control.

[@mannail888]

Did Schwarzkopf ever give any lesson to Ludwig? Since Ludwig has gone on record as saying Schwarzkopf's husband, the legendary record producer and impresario of all things relating to classical music Walter Legge, was his mentor. She was close to the Legges for roughly two decades.

[@paulostroff99]

awesome! TY.

[@tarastrickler8917]

Magnificent!!!

[@rwadia]

Easily one of the best Fidelio interpretations ever, even if the role sat a bit too high for her mezzo. The Klemperer set, of course, is a classic, and was my introduction to this amazing work. Another fine interpretation was Anja Silja's, captured in a filmed version. I also like Helga Dernesch on the Karajan set, and Birgit Nilsson on a fine Lorin Maazel recording.

[@cantanteporsiempre]

ludwig said, that after a few performances of this opera, she went to the larynx¨s doctor, and he said, her vocal chords were very red and in a bad shape, although, she continued singing the role, she sounds beautifully, but is a really soprano role. The opera, I think is boring, but she sings really well, an amazing singer.

[@andrewcostello8970]

Does anyone know anything about this video? When was it broadcast? Who were the other singers? I think it's from the Met given the Texaco symbol at the top left.. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Great performance!

[@vincentvandenborn5501]

It's from the Deutsche Oper Berlin (1963), Chorus and orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin under Arthur Rother, stage director Gustav Rudolf Sellner. It's been published on DVD by ArtHaus Musik.

[@Corazon.mariano]

qué voz!! What a wonderful voice!!

[@alvarojosetasconospina3583]

SUBLIMEE..GRAXIEEE.

[@SandrineAnterrion]

God she's good

[@viverito]

Amazing.

[@mmbmbmbmb]

GROSSARTIG !

[@dorotheafayne]

Beautiful singing. Dorothea

[@daniel_5606]

mezzosoprano dramática, ella es ágil, genial

[@Gobbi2007]

OK... somebody enlighten me: what's with the lipsynching? Her consonants do not close with the sound, and her tongue does not vibrate with the extreme high notes. I have known (and adored) her voice for years now, so it IS Christa. Anybody know the story?

[@CriticaLxThoughX]

yes it is lipsync! sometimes they did these kind of videos for tv-stations etc... it's funny.. :-)

[@vonditters856]

This aria is basically Wagner being born

[@ShawDAMAN]

Mine too. ;)

[@Ginotti]

Fidelio boring? That kind of opinion is the tiresome thing

[@marinabianco9576]

Molto espressiva

[@marcomicheletti9957]

0:21, in wildem Grimme (no appogiatura)

[@gregberg5559]

I love this. I only wish that it were live singing rather than lip syncing.

[@jotge.3444]

großartiger Vortrag. Technisch macht sie genau das, was Renee Fleming nicht empfielt. Der Brustkorb saust nach unten und der Bauch spannt sich wohl an. Wo ist also die Brustkorbstütze? Zu Beginn beim forte gut sichtbar. Also viele Wege führen zum Ziel.

[@Orfeus80]

the German Simionato...

[@wotanman]

I'm waiting for her to bust out a stirring rendition of the "Bitch of Living" at any moment...

[@Rephrat]

who is palying/conducting ??

[@Orfeus80]

Sure, why not. It makes no difference to me. I'm not crazy about either. I find they both had charismatic stage presence but not equally great voices to match it.

[@Geiger1983]

She was fantastic, but somehow I think Nilsson sang this role better. I love Christa though

[@will8026]

It would be better if she was wearing a comically oversized 10-gallon hat.

[@savioalves1234]

The characterization is perfect, the voice perfect... This is a perfect role for her but this aria is soooo boring to me.

[@GThOe]

Wow. Never in my life have I heard a Mezzo-soprano this sharp. In places, a semitone sharp. So much for the great and famous Christa Ludwig. I prefer to listen to singers who sing the correct notes and not a half-step higher than written. Maybe if she wasn't pushing so much she would be in tune, but instead she decided to show off her immensely large voice to an excessive degree. She has no business singing this role written for a HIGH SOPRANO. Shameful and shocking.