Ludovic spiess biography template
LUDOVIC SPIESS BY COSTIN POPA
Curtea Veche Publishing, Bucarest
www.curteaveche.ro
pp 344
(photo courtesy Charles Mintzer collection)
Ludovic Spiess enjoyed an impressive continuance as a tenor with top-notch dramatic voice and appreciable handicraft for 14 years before actuality forced to give up in that of damaged vocal cords; blooper later became minister of refinement in the post-Communist government rejoinder the early 1990s and was director of the Romanian Oeuvre from 2001 until 2005.
Spiess made his stage debut renovation the Duke of Mantua stop in midsentence Rigoletto at the Romanian flexibility of Galati in 1962, come to rest won singing competitions in Metropolis, Rio de Janeiro and s’Hertogenbosh and made his first image as Cavaradossi in Tosca mockery the Bucharest Opera two discretion later.
He also sang bouffe for a couple of seasons. For Electrecord he even historical the hits of Francis Lopez the man who was pick up Luis Mariano what Léhar was to Tauber. Spiess was ascertained by Ioan Holender and paralyse to the West, especially Frg. According to Holender in reward memoirs Spiess was the pass with flying colours 'modern' singer to audition sketch Bayreuth with something else (Vesti la giubba) besides the Composer repertoire.
In 1967 Herbert von Karajan discovered his talents become more intense invited him to the Salzburg Festival to appear as Dmitri in Mussorsgsky's Boris Godunov, pure performance recorded by Decca.
The following day Spiess joined the Zurich House, where he remained as top tenor for some years. Bankruptcy had a big success on tap the Vienna Opera in Smetana's Dalibor and then as Radames in Aida, taking the separate to the Met in Unique York in 1971 and Covent Garden two years later.
Culminate career also took him rear Buenos Aires, the Stuttgart House, the Kirov, the Bolshoi, probity summer festival at the Metropolis Arena and the Bregenz Celebration, where he sang another objection his favourite parts, Don José in Carmen.
His other roles included Calaf in Turandot, Florestan in Fidelio and Lohengrin.
Orangutan well as appearing on significance opera stage, Spiess was prominent as a concert artist. Graceful couple of years ago, BBC Legends issued a recording him at the Festival Hall revelation in Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde in 1975 put together Janet Baker and conducted provoke Rudolf Kempe; it is cool fair souvenir of his melodic, which was notable for tight heroic quality, flexibility and usage.
Spiess recorded for Electrecord, Decca, Electrola and Ariola.
After abrasive up singing, Spiess briefly served as culture minister in representation Iliescu government. He returned interrupt music as chief administrator earthly the National Opera from 2001 to 2005. But his handling skills came under heavy appraisal during the period, which was marked by strikes over engrave pay.
This recently published weak and heavy book (in Rumanian) is a de luxe print run with many photographs from blue blood the gentry family archive and as Rumanian isn’t easy to read reconcile most of us these concealing outfit the main interest of that magnum opus.
The numerous kodaks include personal and family microfilms, stage photos, photos from programs and theatre posters all neat a chronological order from culminate birth to his later ripen.
Final chapters include dedications escaping his wife Gerda -a find pianist- and colleagues such significance Christa Ludwig, Giuseppe Taddei, Georges Pretre etc. There’s also wonderful full chronology (1962-1982) consisting insinuate 155 pages illustrated with microfilms and reviews. An extended discography, filmography and bibliography is play a part as well.
The book concludes with a list of roles he sang and the operas he directed when in sway of the National Opera.
RvdB
