{"id":52126,"date":"2025-01-24T11:53:31","date_gmt":"2025-01-24T10:53:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/8881d105-8051-449f-84ba-cd808d84aa0d"},"modified":"2025-01-24T13:09:23","modified_gmt":"2025-01-24T12:09:23","slug":"herbert-von-karajan-godlike-conductor-nazi-opportunist","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/rss_feed\/herbert-von-karajan-godlike-conductor-nazi-opportunist\/","title":{"rendered":"Herbert von Karajan: godlike conductor, Nazi opportunist"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By <\/p>

Published: Friday, 24 January 2025 at 10:53 AM<\/p>

\n\n

The soprano Christa Ludwig described him as \u2018Le bon Dieu\u2019. Scores of musicians, reviewers and listeners have long regarded him as simply untouchable in the art of conducting. There was, however, much about Herbert von Karajan that was distinctly ungodlike.<\/p>

Ruthlessly ambitious as a young man and grimly autocratic in his later years, Karajan’s life story is marked by bitter rivalries, feuds and, most notoriously, membership of the Nazi Party.<\/p>

But then, just listen to the results. It’s fascinating to look at the career, the controversy and the achievements of a conductor who still intrigues fans and detractors like no other musician.<\/p>