Weber, Ludwig

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Weber, Ludwig

Weber, Ludwig, eminent Austrian bass; b. Vienna, July 29, 1899; d. there, Dec. 9, 1974. He studied with Alfred Boruttau in Vienna. He made his operatic debut there at the Volksoper as Fiorello in 1920, and then sang in Barmen-Elberfeld (1925-27), Düsseldorf (1927-30), and Cologne (1930-33). After singing at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich (1933-45), he was one of the principal members of the Vienna State Opera (1945-60); also appeared at London’s Covent Garden (1936-39; 1947; 1950-51) and at the Bayreuth Festivals (1951-60). He was a prof. at the Salzburg Mozarteum (from 1961). He was one of the foremost Wagnerian bass singers of his time, excelling particularly as Daland, Gurnemanz, and Hagen. He also distinguished himself in such roles as Rocco, Kaspar, Baron Ochs, Méphistophélès, and Wozzeck.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire