Ludwig, Walther

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Ludwig, Walther

Ludwig, Walther, German tenor; b. Bad Oeyn-hausen, March 17, 1902; d. Lahr, May 15, 1981. He studied jurisprudence and medicine before deciding on a singing career. He studied voice in Königsberg, where he made his debut in 1928. After singing in Schwerin (1929–32), he was a member of the Berlin Städtische Oper (1932–45). He also made appearances at the Glyndebourne Festival, Milan’s La Scala, London’s Covent Garden, the Salzburg Festival, and the Vienna State Opera; likewise toured as a concert artist. From 1952 to 1969 he was a prof. at the (West) Berlin Hochschule für Musik. He also completed his medical studies in Berlin (M.D., 1971). He was best known for his Mozart roles.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire