Ludwig Suthaus facts for kids

Ludwig Suthaus (born December 12, 1906 – died September 7, 1971) was a famous German opera singer. He was known as a heldentenor, which means he had a very powerful voice perfect for heroic roles in operas.

Who Was Ludwig Suthaus?

Ludwig Suthaus was born in Cologne, Germany. When he was young, he was learning to be a stonemason, someone who cuts and shapes stone. But people soon noticed his amazing singing talent!

Early Life and Training

At 17, Ludwig started taking singing lessons in his hometown. His teacher first thought he might be a baritone, a different type of male voice. However, in 1928, Ludwig made his first appearance as a tenor. This happened in Aachen, where he sang the role of Walther von Stolzing in Richard Wagner's opera, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.

Singing Career and Challenges

From 1932 to 1941, Ludwig worked in Stuttgart. But in 1942, he lost his job because he refused to join the Nazi party, which was the ruling political party at the time.

After this, Ludwig got a new job at the Berlin State Opera. After World War II, in 1949, he moved to the "Städtische Oper" in West Berlin and stayed there until he finished his singing career.

Performing Around the World

From the late 1940s, Ludwig Suthaus often sang at the Vienna State Opera. He also performed as a guest singer in many famous places around the world. These included the Royal Opera House in London, La Scala in Italy, and opera houses in Paris, Munich, and San Francisco.

He also regularly sang at the Bayreuth Festival starting in 1943. Here, he performed roles like Loge in Das Rheingold and Siegmund in Die Walküre. He also sang Walther von Stolzing again in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, which was recorded in 1943.

Working with Famous Conductors

Ludwig Suthaus was one of the favorite singers of Wilhelm Furtwängler, a very famous conductor. They worked together on many important recordings. For example, they recorded Tristan und Isolde in 1952. Ludwig also sang Siegfried in Der Ring des Nibelungen (1953) and Siegmund in Die Walküre (1954) with Furtwängler. The 1954 recording was Furtwängler's very last opera recording.

Sadly, Ludwig Suthaus had to stop his career suddenly after being in a car accident. He passed away in Berlin when he was 64 years old.

His Amazing Voice

Some people described Ludwig Suthaus's voice as thoughtful or a bit sad, rather than super energetic. However, he could sing with deep feeling when needed. He was especially good at playing characters who were troubled or sad, rather than just young heroes. During his time, other singers like Max Lorenz were more widely known.

What Made His Voice Special?

Today, Ludwig Suthaus's performance as Tristan in the recording with Furtwängler is considered one of the best ever. It's often compared to the performances of other great singers like Lauritz Melchior and Jon Vickers.

Important Recordings

Here are some of the important recordings Ludwig Suthaus was a part of:

• Wagner, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, with Hermann Abendroth conducting, recorded at the Bayreuther Festspiele on July 16, 1943.
• Wagner, Tristan und Isolde, with Franz Konwitschny conducting the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, recorded in October 1950.
• Wagner, Tristan und Isolde, with Kirsten Flagstad and Wilhelm Furtwängler conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra, recorded in London in June 1952.
• Richard Wagner, Der Ring des Nibelungen, where he sang Siegfried, with Wilhelm Furtwängler conducting, recorded in 1953.

See also

In Spanish: Ludwig Suthaus para niños