OPERA SINGERS FROM THE PAST - JUSSI BJÖRLING Johan Jonatan Jussi Björling (1911 – 1960) was a Swedish tenor. One of the leading operatic singers of the 20th century, Björling appeared for many years at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City and less frequently at the major European opera houses, including the Royal Opera House in London and La Scala in Milan. Björling made his professional operatic debut as the Lamplighter in Manon Lescaut at the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm in 1930. This was soon followed by Don Ottavio in Mozarts Don Giovanni, Arnold in Rossinis William Tell, Almaviva in Rossinis The Barber of Seville and as Rodolfo in La bohème with Hjördis Schymberg, his favourite soprano in Sweden, as Mimi. This in turn led to engagements in Europe and the United States. Björling made his American concert debut at the Carnegie Hall in 1937; the following year, he made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera as Rodolfo in La bohème. Björling went on to become one of the principal singers at the Metropolitan Opera during the 1940s and 1950s, with an interruption during World War II. He sang many major tenor roles in operas in the French and Italian repertoire, including Il trovatore, Rigoletto, Aida, Un ballo in maschera, Cavalleria rusticana, Faust, Roméo et Juliette, La bohème, Madama Butterfly, Tosca, and Manon Lescaut.
Posted on: Sat, 25 Jan 2014 09:53:42 +0000
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