Ljuba Welitsch (born Veličkova; 1913 – 1996). Operatic soprano. She was born in Borisovo, Bulgaria, studied in Sofia and Vienna, and sang in opera houses in Austria and Germany in the late 1930s and early and mid-1940s. In 1946 she became an Austrian citizen.
Welitsch became best known in the title role of Richard Strauss's Salome, in which she was coached by the composer. Her international career was short, its start delayed by the Second World War and its end hastened by vocal problems. It took off in 1947 in London and continued in New York from 1949, but her starring days were over by the mid-1950s. Her international career was just before the days when complete studio recordings of operas were common, and although some live recordings survive from broadcasts, her recorded legacy is not extensive.
From the mid-1950s, Welitsch sang character roles in operas and acted in stage plays. She also featured in 21 film between 1953 and 1976.
- "Welitsch not only looked young and glamorous with her gorgeous red hair, but she sounded like a beautiful teenager..." https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-ljuba-welitsch-5601321.html
- "Welitsch’s flaming red hair, “silvery-sounding voice,” and charismatic persona..." https://www.metopera.org/discover/archives/notes-from-the-archives/from-the-archives-salome-at-the-met/
- "Known for her red hair and exuberant vivacity..." https://opera-guide.ch/highlights/show_record.php?id=76&uilang=en&iframe=true
