The Bluebell record label is justly famous for its issues of the
live performances of the great tenor Jussi Bjorling. However, Bluebell
is doing vocal collectors a great service by presenting other great
Swedish singers on CD. Here are a few notes about several titles in
the "Great Swedish Singers" series.
Most or all of these CDs are available from the Mainly Opera on-line
store. Click on each title for more details.
Elisabeth
Söderström (ABCD 095)
The great Swedish soprano is under-represented in the record catalogues.
On this disc we can hear her in arias and songs by Busoni, Ravel, Strauss,
Puccini, Wagner, Flotow, Mozart and Berwald. Live recordings 1952-1977.
Barbro Ericson (ABCD 094)
The Swedish contralto in operas by Verdi, Nielsen, Wagner, Tchaikovsky
and Mussorgsky. Live performances 1958-73.
Rut Jacobson (ABCD 097)
Soprano Rut Jacobson is heard on this CD in arias by Rossini, Verdi, Tchaikovsky,
Puccini, Mascagni, Nystroem, Söderman, Werle, Hallström and
Foroni. Excellent singing and interesting repertoire. Live performances
1959-76.
Nicolai Gedda - French Conncections (ABCD 096)
The artistry of the tenor in French repertoire is presented in this exceptional
CD. Gedda sings the Nuits d'ete of Berlioz, plus works by Duparc, Faure
and Debussy. Recorded 1960-1976.
Nicolai Gedda - The First Ten Years (ABCD 056)
The first ten years of any young singer, rising to world fame, can be
utterly illuminating and interesting. The many talents of young Gedda
were discovered from abroad at an unusually early point and Swedish audiences
had to be content with many too few appearances at home. Many of them
were captured by the radio - as were all on this CD, in recordings from
1952 to 1962. Arias by Verdi, Gounod, Mozart and Borodin a.o.
Erik
Saeden (ABCD 098)
One of Sweden's most versatile opera stars, Saeden sang an extraordinary
range of repertoire during his career. This CD Presents opera arias and
scenes by Donizetti, Mozart, Peterson-Berger, Blomdahl, Verdi, Gounod,
Strauss, etc. Recorded live, 1959-1980.
Set
Svanholm (ABCD 058)
World famous Wagner tenor Set Svanholm began his career 1930. He sang
at all the major opera houses of the world, the Tristan to Flagstad's
Isolde on many occasions, e.g. at her farewell performance in London and
the Loge in Solti's Ring. He sang all the Wagner tenor roles but his Mahler
was also equally admired in Vienna. Also appearing on this CD are the
young Birgit Nilsson, Sigurd Björling a.o.
Hugo Hasslo (ABCD 059)
The Stockholm Opera was one of the leading European houses at the middle
of the last century, partly due to the fact that so many great Swedish
singers stayed at home. One of them, Hugo Hasslo, possessed a beautiful
tenor-baritone voice. He even tried Cavaradossi once, but wisely kept
to his baritone roles, in Verdi, Mozart, Donizetti and Rossini. After
his retirement in the 60s he became a beloved and successful voice teacher.
Margareta Hallin (ABCD 060)
Early recordings 1955-1960 with coloratura soprano Margareta Hallin
adds another highly important link in the proud history of the Stockholm
Opera. Even at the time it was regarded as something of a small miracle
that she did not listen to all the tempting offers from abroad but stayed
in Stockholm. Today, judging from these recordings, it seems like a
true miracle. Her opera career ended 1986 and she has developed a new
one: composer of vocal music.
Ingvar Wixell (ABCD 079)
Still active in the world's leading opera houses Ingvar Wixell might
also muse upon all the Lieder singing for which he has been so highly
praised. His high baritone voice might in the 50s have lead him to become
a Heldentenor, but in the end Verdi and Puccini won the battle. Deutsche
Oper in Berlin became his focal point from which he guest-appears all
over the world.
Kjerstin Dellert (ABCD 083)
Crossing over all the time: in soprano roles like Tosca or in mezzo
parts like Octavian, Lucretia or Cassandra, famous for her Marie in
Wozzeck or Daisy Doodie/La Garonne in Blomdahl's Aniara, or performing
Weill or popular songs by ABBA or Poulenc's Vox Humana or... There seems
to be no end to the many talents of Kjerstin Dellert, late in life over
the television also very popular to a greater Swedish audience.
Uno Stjernqvist (ABCD 084)
Uno Stjernqvist was the leading "Italian" tenor at the Stockholm
Opera in the 1960s, after Björling and Gedda. Stjernqvist perhaps
sounded even more Italian then either, his lyrical spinto tenor perfect
in roles like Manrico and Rodolphe. Here he is to be heard in Mozart,
Strauss and Rossini but also in some rare 18th century Swedish operas
by Naumann and Kraus.
Per Grundén (ABCD 086)
Few tenors have been more beloved in Vienna then Per Grundén
at the Volksoper, where he 1953-63 was the favourite leading man, made
a Kammersänger in 1958. His main field was operetta but his unusually
beautiful tenor also encompassed Pinkerton, Fra Diavolo and Max in Der
Freischütz. Retirement meant shifting his career into acting, both
in comedies and as character actor, both on stage and on film. Here
are songs and operetta recordings from 1951-1962. Also appearing are
Elisabeth Söderström, Arne Tyrén and Ulla Sallert.
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Great
Swedish Singers on Bluebell