Walther Ludwig

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Walther Ludwig (March 17, 1902, Bad Oeynhausen - May 15, 1981, Lahr) was a German operatic tenor, particularly associated with Mozart roles.

He studied first medecine in Freiburg before turning to voice studies in Konigsberg, 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 Stadtische Oper Berlin in 1932, where he established himself in Mozart roles such as Belmonte, Don Ottavio, Tamino, Idomeneo, 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 Paris Opera, 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 Nemorino, Ernesto, Duke of Mantua, Alfredo, French lyric role such as Wilhelm Meister. He left complete recordings of Entfuhrung aus dem Serail, Die Lustigen Weiber von Windsor, Zar und Zimmermann.

He taught in Berlin from 1952 until 1969.

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