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William Ludwig

William Ludwig, (born William Ledwidge), was an Irishman who rose to fame in the second half of the nineteenth century as an operatic baritone. He was famous as an interpreter of Wagner, becoming in Britain and the United States the definitive Dutchman. He later became an equally famous concert artist. His most active period was from 1874 to 1908.

Early life. He was born in Dublin Ireland on the 15th July 1847. He father was a chorister, music teacher and music copyist. He was educated in the O’Connell Schools in North Richmond Street. [1] After singing in various Dublin choirs he moved to London before 1870. London He sang in the Gaiety Theatre, the Strand, under the management of John Hollinshed. [2] It was during this period that he changed his name to Ludwig. This may have been because of frequent misspellings or because a more Germanic named suited the life of an opera singer.

Carl Rosa By 1874 he had joined the Carl Rosa Opera Company. William was to maintain a relationship with this company for the rest of his singing career. It was during his time with Carl Rosa that he came under the influence of Charles, later Sir Charles, Santley. In 1877 he became chief baritone with Carl Rosa. He made his name in such famous Wagner roles as Wotan in the Ring cycle, Hans Sachs in Die Meistersinger and as the Dutchman in the Flying Dutchman. In Britain this part was often referred to as Vanderdacken though Wagner never used that name. In 1883 he sang in Il Trovatore in the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin. A prototype telephone carried the performance to Earlsfort Terrace, half a mile away, where an astonished audience was able to hear the singers and orchestra. [3]

United States He travelled to the United States for the first time in February 1886. He was engaged by the American Opera Company on the strength of his performances with Carl Rosa. He quickly established a name for himself as a Wagnerian interpreter. He played the Academy of Music in New York and went on to Baltimore and Cincinnati. In October 1887 he went to the United States for a second time. He set out from Dublin but missed the train to Cork. He hired a train and just missed his boat, the Servia, but managed to hire a tugboat and caught the Servia before it left the bay. This cost him £100 but it saved him having to default on his contract. [4] Until 1909 he made regular trips to the United States and Canada. He once even declared his address in New York as “with the mayor”. With the National Opera Company he performed in New York, Boston and Chicago.

Britain In Britain and Ireland his reputation increased. Sir Henry Wood described him as “the greatest Elijah”. He formed his own concert parties and toured all over the British Isles. He did operatic arias as well as Irish songs. He made sure to include items from both traditions. He organised one such concert in Athlone. He engaged a young John McCormack for the trip. He put McCormack in the care of Lily Foley who went on to become Mrs John McCormack. John McCormack said “one of the most distinguished baritones Ireland has produced. It is a just tribute to one of the greatest singers Ireland ever produced to say, at this point, that William Ludwig was a supreme artist”. James Joyce included him by name in Ulysses, in the Eumeaus section. He also referred to him obliquely in Finnegans Wake. William often included two of his daughters in these concerts. He intended retiring and establishing a music school but he was struck down with a throat complaint. His last public performance was in the Theatre Royal, Dublin with the Carl Rosa Company where he recreated the role of Danny Mann in Lily of Killarney. A benefit concert was arranged in London by Sir Herbert Tree in 1913. He died in London on Christmas Day 1923.

Personal life He was married twice. Firstly to Mary Price in London in 1872. They had one son. She died in 1874. He then married Evelyn Miles in 1876. They had two sons and nine daughters. He maintained a home in London until his death.

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