Christa Ludwig - Fidelio - Abscheulicher...Komm Hoffnung

[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

[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.

[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.

[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! :))))))))))

[SandrineSoprano]

God she's good

[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.

[paulostroff99]

awesome!  TY.

[robertdonkers]

Glad Christa remained true to the mezzo repertoire. So many mezzos try the soprano fach only to come to grief. But well done here

[Brangdonfied]

@robertdonkers She sang soprano roles as Leonore is for sure a soprano role. She also was a lovely Marschallin and the Farberin in "Frau", I think the Dyer's wife was transposd for her. I think she excelled in about anything she did.

[Adrenogoredreams]

What tesiture has she? Mezzo? Sorry my english

[moghedien13]

@Adrenogoredreams a mezzo, but a mezzo with about as seamless a voice u can hope for, with the ability to sing soprano and contralto parts and high notes most sopranos would kill for.

[Rephrat]

who is palying/conducting ??

[ShawDAMAN]

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

[inter215]

What a superb singer in one of her best roles. Thanks for posting this.

[dermotafan]

A legend, one of the best singers of the last century.

[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!

[rjw0886]

Best Fidelio! (my opinion...not yours)

[ShawDAMAN]

Mine too. ;)

[Vanchy58]

Christa Ludwig sin duda una de las mejores sopranos dramáticas que han encarnado la Leonora de Fidelio. Reune todo, voz , fuerza dramática expresiva y carisma entregado al papel

[wotansschwert]

I met her in Vienna today!!!!!!! :D :D :D she kissed me on ze cheek :D

[Opreaismylife10692]

Wotansschwert, I envy you greatly!

[angelmanrobi]

Yes she appears many times in die oper. Last time I saw her at Tosca with Kaufmann. She was very pretty!

[angelmanrobi]

I mean she was watching Tosca in the audience and Kaufmann was singing:D

[Smartissimaforever]

@wotansschwert OH, you are so lucky!

[moghedien13]

@wotansschwert lucky bastard lol

[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.

[oakroom48]

Thank you for this extraordinary post!

[drbarbarabaker]

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

[DivaDeb1234]

Wow..thanks for posting this!

[nclysander]

Believe it or not, I prefer this to her famous studio recording of the aria under Klemperer; her voice has more resonance here, and we also get to see her! There are far too few video recordings featuring Ludwig, which is unfortunate as she was obviously a real stage animal. The last minute and a half is an absolutely transforming experience.

[neronnenn]

Christa, quanti ricordi....:)

[Macbett0]

One of the bests Leonoras ever, if not the best!

[palalan]

qué voz!!

What a wonderful voice!!

[Babs22h]

my girl!

[lagnaha]

Incandescent

[TimonyErt03]

Does anyone know what year this was recorded? I just heard her sing Leonard Berstein's "I Am Easily Assimlated" on YouTube and it was amazing! I take it that she's a legend.

[operoma]

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

[blondehedgehog5]

Fabulous!

[godivapaw]

Such a consistently fabulous singer!

[135yearswaiting]

Wonderfull, how anyone could find this boring is hard to understand,it has everything, love, corruption, good winning against evil. Wonderfull solo parts, chorus, duets etc.

Boring it ain´t.

[Babs22h]

Fidelio is probably one of my favorite operas! Totally not boring opera... Wish Beethoven wrote a few more! Anyway

[DieSonneSinkt]

I think I'm in love.

[Orfeus80]

the German Simionato...

[Klassizismus]

I would say Christa Ludiwg was better than Simionato

[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.

[brookes0]

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

[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).

[pinstripe173]

so do i (vickers and ludwig). amazing! my personal favorite is the "mir ist so wunderbar" trio (its a trio right?)

[greve]

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

[albertthrelkeld]

Does anyone have clips of Ludwig's Verdi interpretations? I love this clip of Fidelio, but I've read that was wonderful Amneris.

[dorotheafayne]

Beautiful singing. Dorothea

[wotanman]

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

[solostan]

it's live, but a mediocre fliming and poorly synched... but an awesome performance in many ways...

[Operacrazed]

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

[Babs22h]

totally in agreement with you all! that rarely happens on you tube... I heard Jessye Norman sing the aria -- and I LOVE jESSYE but Ludwig's upper range seems a lot more fitting for this particular song. I thought nORMAN'S DICTION WAS FABULOUS though.., the vid was gone for a while thank god its back!

[soundfond]

Indeed hard to say if she's lip-synching. I guess the audio is slightly out-ou-sync and it happens sometimes when older clips are uploaded here. Agreeing with benoniboy, who cares if it'd be lip-synching. Christa Ludwig is indeed Superb vocally and artistically.

[viverito]

Amazing.

[benoniboy]

It's a tough call. She does look like she's lip-synching, but who cares (and if it really bothers, just close your eyes and listen to the incomparable vocalism and artistry) - a mezzo who can sing this great and hugely taxing aria that defeats most sopranos deserves no criticism - truly one the great singers of the 20th century. Superb!

[yonexguy1963]

its not lipsynching - its YOUTUBE technology

[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?

[Ginotti]

Fidelio boring? That kind of opinion is the tiresome thing

[lindyms]

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

[Fac06]

She is really something BUT I do find the beginning of the recitative a bit too high for her.

Still she is, as always, great. A fantastic artist.

[greve]

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

[malesoprano]

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

[BeauTenor]

If you sing in the opera, you might have a different view of it. Speaking stictly about the music, it is PHENOMENAL.

[mariogorga]

Phenomenal is not even enough to describe Ludwig here,always the super correct singer!!

[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.

[albertthrelkeld]

I believe Ludwig also prepared the role of Isolde, but backed out of the performances due to throat ailments. I agree that she was an amazing singer.

[operalover9001]

Yes, I think Ludwig recorded the whole role of Isolde with Vickers and Herbert von Karajan. If not, then at least the Liebestod was recorded.

[operalover9001]

Yes, I think Ludwig recorded the whole role of Isolde with Vickers and Herbert von Karajan. If not, then at least the Liebestod was recorded.

[Klassizismus]

She only recorded the Liebestod :P

[hillevifan]

I just posted it btw

[nclysander]

Ludwig recorded the opera with Karajan, but as Bragnane (sp.?), not Isolde. He was trying to get her to do the role, though - along with Brunnhilde, believe it or not! Bernstein was doing the same, but she kept turning both down. It's a pity, as her recording of the Liebestod (with Klemperer, not Karajan) is one of the very best out there.

[Gabriel13187]

It was with Bernstein... it was K. Böhm who wanted to convince her to sing the role...

[nclysander]

Not sure what you're talking about ... Ludwig never recorded any part of Tristan und Isolde with Karajan. And I wouldn't be surprised if all three gentlemen wanted her to sing the lead role - it was a truly phenomenal idea. A pity it never came to light.

[nclysander]

Eeeks, I meant to say that Ludwig never recorded any part of Tristan and Isolde with Bernstein. See, you got me all confused! :P