Bernstein: I Hate Music, a cycle of five 'kid songs'

Christa Ludwig is acknowledged as one of the twentieth century’s most explorative and complete vocal artists. Her professional singing career spanned five decades and, as a star of the international operatic stage, she made roles as diverse as Rosina, Dorabella, Cherubino, Leonore, Amneris, Eboli, Kundry, Ortrud, Clytemnestra and the Marschallin her own, excelling in soprano, mezzo and coloratura mezzo repertoire. She also established her reputation as a fine lieder singer. The intimate auditorium of the magnificent neo-baroque Volkstheater in Vienna was packed with a discerning and enthusiastic audience when Christa Ludwig gave a master class there. The intimate auditorium of the magnificent neo-baroque Volkstheater in Vienna was packed with a discerning and enthusiastic audience when Christa Ludwig gave a master class there. The young singers who took part – Valerij Serkin (tenor), Stella Grigorian (mezzo) and Marcus Pelz (baritone) – were all studying at an advanced level, with their sights set on fi nding success as professionals on the operatic stage. Christa Ludwig focused the time she spent with each singer on helping them to find the dramatic truth expressed in the aria of their choice and advising on how they could communicate this in their interpretation. The master class includes pieces by Beethoven, Bizet and Massenet and, at the end, the greatness of her art is recalled as she is seen singing Mistress Quickly in a production of Verdi’s Falstaff (1982).