Walther Ludwig

'''Walther Ludwig''' (17 March 1902 – 15 May 1981) was a German operatic [[lyric tenor]], particularly associated with [[Mozart]] roles and Schubert lieder.

==Biography== He was born on 17 March 1902 in [[Bad Oeynhausen]].

He first studied medicine in [[Freiburg]] before turning to voice studies in [[Königsberg]], where he made his debut in 1928. He then sang in [[Schwerin]], where he created the title role in Paul Graeners's ''Friedmann Bach'' in 1931. He joined the [[Städtische Oper Berlin]] in 1932, where he established himself in Mozart roles such as [[The Abduction from the Seraglio|Belmonte]], [[Don Giovanni|Don Ottavio]], [[The Magic Flute|Tamino]], [[Idomeneo]], [[Così fan tutte|Ferrando]], etc. After the war, he began appearing at the [[Hamburg State Opera]], and made his debut at the [[Vienna State Opera]] in 1947 and at the [[Salzburg Festival]] in 1948.

He also made guest appearances at [[La Scala]] in Milan, the [[Palais Garnier|Paris Opéra]], the [[Royal Opera House]] in London, the [[Liceo]] in Barcelona.

A stylish and musical lyric tenor, other notable roles included light Italian roles such as [[L'elisir d'amore|Nemorino]], [[Don Pasquale|Ernesto]], [[Rigoletto|Duke of Mantua]], [[La traviata|Alfredo]], French lyric role such as [[Mignon|Wilhelm Meister]]. He left complete recordings of ''[[Die Entführung aus dem Serail]]'', ''[[Die Zauberflöte]]'', ''[[Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor]]'', ''[[Zar und Zimmermann]]'', ''[[Die schöne Müllerin]]'', ''[[Die Schöpfung]]'', and a very Germanic sounding [[Verdi Requiem]]. He was the very moving Evangelist in a live 1950 Vienna performance of Bach's [[Matthew Passion]] under Karajan, in which [[Kathleen Ferrier]] sang, now available on CD.<ref>Paul Campion, ''Ferrier: a Career Recorded'' (London 2005).</ref>

He taught in Berlin from 1952 until 1969. He died on 15 May 1981 in [[Lahr, Germany]].

==Selected filmography== * ''[[I by Day, You by Night]]'' (1932) * ''[[Count Woronzeff]]'' (1934) * ''[[Maria Ilona]]'' (1939) * ''[[The Way to Freedom]]'' (1941)

==References== {{reflist}}

==Sources== *[http://hosting.triboni.com/triboni/exec?method=com.operissimo.artist.webDisplay&id=ffcyoieagxaaaaabmvso&xsl=webDisplay&searchStr=Walther%20Ludwig Biography on Operissimo.com] (in German)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ludwig, Walther}} [[Category:1902 births]] [[Category:1981 deaths]] [[Category:German operatic tenors]] [[Category:20th-century German male opera singers]] [[Category:People from Bad Oeynhausen]] [[Category:Officers Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany]] [[Category:Academic staff of the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin]]