Iain Burnside talks to mezzo-soprano Christa Ludwig about her devotion to the art of Lieder singing and discusses some of her operatic roles including the soprano parts that she took on later in her career. With songs by Brahms, Mahler, Schumann, Schubert and Wolf and extracts from Bellini's Norma and Wagner's Götterdämmerung.

Playlist

Presenter: Iain Burnside
Producer: Clive Portbury
Broadcast Assistant: Patrick Johns

Spotlight on Christa Ludwig
First broadcast on 8 April 2003

Johannes Brahms
'Sapphische Ode' (2'24")
Christa Ludwig (mezzo-soprano), Gerald Moore (piano)
Taken from the album Les Introuvables de Christa Ludwig
CD: EMI CMS7640742 (side 1, track 1)

Gustav Mahler
'Oft denk' ich, sie sind nur ausgegangen' from Kindertotenlieder (3'28")
Christa Ludwig (mezzo-soprano), Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Herbert von Karajan
Taken from the album Christa Ludwig - 70th Birthday
CD: Deutsche Grammophon 459 335-2 (side 1, track 6)

Robert Schumann
'Waldesgepräch' from Liederkreis (Op.39) (2'03")
Christa Ludwig (mezzo-soprano), Erik Werba (piano)
Taken from the album Christa Ludwig - 70th Birthday
CD: Deutsche Grammophon 459 335-2 (side 2, track 1)

Vincenzo Bellini
'O rimembranza' from Norma (5'06")
Christa Ludwig (mezzo-soprano), Maria Callas (soprano), Orchestra of La Scala conducted by Tullio Serafin
Taken from the album Norma
CD: EMI 7243 5 66428 2 9 (side 2, track 3)

Franz Schubert
'Ganymed' (4'13")
Christa Ludwig (mezzo-soprano), Geoffrey Parsons (piano)
Taken from the album Les Introuvables de Christa Ludwig
CD: EMI CMS 7 64074 2 (side 3, track 5)

Hugo Wolf
'Mignon I: Heiss mich nicht reden' (2'57")
Christa Ludwig (mezzo-soprano), Erik Werba (piano)
Taken from the album Christa Ludwig - 70th Birthday
CD: Deutsche Grammophon 459 335-2 (side 2, track 7)

Richard Strauss
'Die Zeit, die ist ein sonderbar Ding' from Rosenkavalier (5'55")
Christa Ludwig (mezzo-soprano), Tatyana Troyanos (mezzo-soprano), Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Karl Böhm
Taken from the album Der Rosenkavalier
CD: Deutsche Grammophon 445 339-2 (side 1, track 10)

Richard Strauss
'Schlechtes Wetter' (2'15")
Christa Ludwig (mezzo-soprano), Gerald Moore (piano)
Taken from the album Les Introuvables de Christa Ludwig
CD: EMI CMS 7 64074 2 (side 3, track 20)