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The Bayreuth Festival mourns the loss of Christa Ludwig!

Yesterday Christa Ludwig, one of the most important singers of the 20th century, passed away. Under conductors such as Otto Klemperer, Karl Böhm, Herbert von Karajan and Leonard Bernstein, Christa Ludwig achieved world fame and had a decisive influence on musical life for decades. Not only at the Bayreuth and Salzburg Festivals, but also at the Vienna State Opera, her parent opera house, and at many important music festivals and the most prestigious opera houses, Christa Ludwig performed a wide variety of roles in the mezzo and soprano repertoire. She was also a brilliant interpreter of lieder and successfully championed contemporary music. The honorary member of the Vienna State Opera has received numerous honors, among them Christa Ludwig was Austrian Chamber Singer and in 2018 received the Opus-Klassik award for her life’s work. Numerous recordings document her broad oeuvre, Christa Ludwig will remain unforgotten as an artist.