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Pièce Pour 2 Harpes À Pédales By Marcelle Soulage: Minerva Teichert Award Winner 2021, Alexah Coon, Grace Tanner

AWE (A Woman’s Experience)

No abstract provided.

Hanna Hedman, 1934-2020

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

We report with sadness the death of Hanna Hedman. Hanna was married to Frank Hedman, who in 1979 founded the Bluebell recording label, which she managed successfully after Frank’s death in 1990. Among her notable issues were many Jussi Björling recordings, especially live performance recordings from Stockholm. Bluebell’s “Great Swedish Singers” series presented such artists as Schymberg, Söderström, Gedda, Hasslo, Berglund, Wixell and Björker. Hanna was a remarkable person, idiosyncratic, funny and generous. She died just before her 86th birthday. An in-depth article about Frank, Hanna, and Bluebell will be published in our next Journal.

In Memoriam Art Skantz, Our Dedicated Colleague, Dan Shea

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

We deeply regret to tell you that Art Skantz, a longtime Björling Society member and a past Treasurer and board member, died last January 26. As Treasurer from 2004 to 2011, he was the conscientious keeper of the JBS books and an always helpful supporter of worthy projects. Art had high-level experience in corporate finance. Further, he and his wife Marilynn had great memories of having heard Jussi at Lyric Opera during the 1950s. Clearly he was well qualified to serve JBS-USA as financial officer!

In Memoriam Rosalind Elias (1930 – 2020)

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

“The Metropolitan Opera mourns the death of one of our most beloved artists, mezzo-soprano Rosalind Elias, who sang 687 performances with the company over a period of 42 years. She made her Met debut in 1954 at just 23 years of age as Grimgerde in Die Walküre and initially sang supporting roles, but soon graduated to larger parts such as Siébel in Faust, Maddalena in Rigoletto, and Suzuki in Madama Butterfly. Then, in 1958, she was chosen to sing the leading role of Erika in the world premiere of Samuel Barber’s Vanessa. At her request, the …

Margareta Hallin

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Margareta Hallin had an interesting and varied career, beginning with her debut in 1955 as Rosina in The Barber of Seville with the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm. She went on to sing more than 1,500 performances at the Royal Opera House over the next twenty-nine years and now has a bust there in her honor. This focus on Sweden was by her own choice; Nicolai Gedda, for one, thought that with her “beautiful coloratura soprano voice” she could have had an international career.

In Memoriam Kerstin Meyer And Margareta Hallin, Peter C. Hammond

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Mezzo-soprano Kerstin Meyer, who died at the age of 92 on April 14, 2020, appeared in several operas with Jussi. Recordings survive featuring him with Meyer as Maddalena in Rigoletto in 1957 and as Azucena in Il trovatore in 1960 at the Royal Opera House in Stockholm, the latter being the same role in which she had made her debut there in 1952. She was a longtime member of the Royal Swedish Opera and the Hamburg State Opera and made many guest appearances at the major opera houses of London, Milan, New York, Vienna, and elsewhere. She often performed in …

Announcing A Change In Jbs Publication Schedule

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

You may have noticed that our 2020 Journal this year was significantly longer than usual, and has been slowly expanding in recent years. And you will find that this Newsletter has also grown beyond its traditional eight-page format. With these deliberate changes in mind, the Board of Directors has decided to eliminate the Fall Newsletter (which has always been a challenge, coming out only three months prior to the Journal). This decision will also result in the elimination of layout, printing and postage costs.

New Honorary Member Of Sweden’S Jussi Björling Society 2020

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

It is with happiness and respect we welcome Susan Flaster as new honorary member in The Jussi Björling Society. Although Sue, as most people call her, lives in Charleston, South Carolina, she has spent a lot of time in Sweden, not least in Säter, Dalecarlia, where she spends some time of the year and lives and works with her Swedish husband, Harald Henrysson. Both have a strong connection in Jussi Björling´s life and achievement.

Information On The New Jussi Björling Discussion Group At Bjorling2@Groups.Io, Dan Shea

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Would you like occasionally to express an opinion about singing to friends who understand your enthusiasm for Björling and other great historical singers, or even current opera singers? Well, some of us have fun talking about slightly abstruse topics like Jussi’s four recordings of Beethoven’s song “Adelaide,” for instance comparing the 1949 version from Jussi’s Hollywood Bowl concert (newly available!) with the other three, and even with versions by other singers.

Jussi Björling On The Opera Stage: A List Of Companies With Which He Sang, Harald Henrysson

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Arranged according to the number of complete opera or operetta performances with each company. In the second column: number of performances.

Three numbers indicate: performances on the home stage + performances on tour = total number. In the third column: first and last year of performing with the company.

John Steane On Richard Caniell, John Steane

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

In a book published almost forty years ago I wrote of the invaluable supply of ‘private’ recordings, mostly taken ‘off-the-air’ of live performances, some of them from the 1930s, noting that unfortunately they came with much factual misinformation and were unreliable in matters such as speed and pitch. I added that it was to be hoped that one day these faults could be amended, with proper editing of the originals and with more scholarly care over documentation. In one instance (and by no means the most important) I said that attention of this kind, by whoever provided it, “would earn …

Jussi Björling His Final Season At The Met 1959, Richard Caniell

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

It is an extraordinary fact that Jussi Björling’s final season of his life, afflicted though he was with heart problems, revealed his voice at its most refulgent, his characterizations the utmost in expressiveness. Fortunately, we have preservations which corroborate the truth of this while communicating that his vocal art had achieved a fusion of fiery passion and refinement of expression without parallel in any other tenor of the twentieth century.

Jussi Björling — A Tribute His Final Fabulous Met Season — 1959

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Editor’s Note: Members may pre-order their copies at a discounted price using the enclosed Audio and Book Order Form, or online at www.jussibjorlingsociety.org

Jussi Björling Society-Usa At Symphony Center Chicago Conference

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

The Jussi Björling Society-USA is excited to announce that plans for our 2021 Conference in Chicago are being finalized, and we are now accepting advance registrations with the enclosed form, or online.

Full Issue

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

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Join The Jbs Board In Washington, D.C. This November

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

On FRIDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 15, the Jussi Björling Society has made plans to attend the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, a concert performance of Act II of Tristan und Isolde, featuring Stephen Gould and Christine Goerke, conducted by Gianandrea Noseda. To join us for the concert at a group price of $70, contact Janel Lundgren, at tonerna@myfairpoint.net

Audio Update And Observations, Kristian Krogholm

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Under the guidance of Andrew Rose, Pristine Audio has issued no less than three Puccini recordings with Jussi Björling. Earlier I commented on PACO158 Manon Lescaut (Met-1956). To sum up my reactions from that set, I find the sound of orchestra absolutely exemplary. Few can make an old recording of an orchestra sound more up-to-date than Mr. Rose. I have in my collection most of Pristine’s Furtwängler and Toscanini sets and they are second to none. Björling`s voice on the other hand, I find sounds more “muscular” than is to my liking. And it is the restoration that has made …

19th Year Of Concerts In Voxna, July 8, 2019, Sue Flaster

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

That was the headline on this year’s Voxna program, and the plural is quite accurate: in the last eight or nine years, there have been two concerts given of the same program. Impresario and MC Stefan Olmårs manages to fill the Voxna church to capacity twice, a fitting response to his uniformly interesting and excellent concerts. Locals attending were joined by Sällskap members and other tour participants, as in past years.

Jussi Björling Museum Celebrates 25 Years

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

The Museum’s official opening day was Oct. 22, 1994. The 25-year celebration will take place on October 26 with a gala concert in the Mission Church across the courtyard from the Museum. Music journalist Göran Forsling will assist Curator Jan-Olof Damberg by acting as Master of Ceremonies. Founding Curator Harald Henrysson will speak briefly about the history of the Museum, and about his new book. Local soprano Hanna Husáhr will be the featured artist. Hanna currently sings in the Royal Opera company and has sung in many companies throughout Europe. She received the 2011 Jussi Björlingstipendiet (JB Award of the …

Strömsbruk Jussi-Fest, 2019, Janel Lundgren

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

When Stefan Olmårs became Secretary of the Jussi Björling Society(Sällskapet), he was contacted by a man who told him that Jussi’s father David had been born in Strömsbruk and had worked there as a blacksmith. Stefan became intrigued, and made contact with local historian Gustav Ekengren who took Stefan to the very small Mission Church in Strömsbruk (which had been set up almost like a theater). Gustav related that David Björling had come there with Jussi who was then so young that he was not yet speaking clearly and had to be stood on a table to sing. Gustav showed …

David Björling And His Sons In America — A Musical Family Saga Begins By Harald Henrysson

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

This long-awaited account of David Björling’s two trips to the US has finally arrived! Alone and then with his three oldest sons, David’s adventures in America are remarkable for their organization, daring and musical importance in the lives of his sons. Harald Henrysson’s book is a hefty and well-illustrated hardcover, rich in newly-discovered information. It is being issued during the centenary of the last major Björling milestone. Initial critical response has been very positive, as you will read below. Order your copy now from JBS-USA (see order form or the web site, jussibjorlingsocietyusa.org).

Full Issue

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

No abstract provided.

Join Jbs In Washington D.C. This November!

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

The Board of Directors of the Jussi Björling Society - USA will be having a board meeting in Washington D.C. the weekend of November 15 and 16, 2019. On FRIDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 15, we plan to attend the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, a concert performance of Act II of Tristan und Isolde, featuring Stephen Gould and Christine Goerke, conducted by Gianandrea Noseda. We will be gathering together for dinner at a convenient restaurant around 5:30 pm; the concert begins at 8 pm.

Congratulations!

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

We are thrilled to report that Bengt Krantz, chairman of the Jussi Björling Sällskapet and director of the Malmö Opera, has received the 2019 Litteris et Artibus (Letters and Arts) award.

Jussi Bjorling In Finland, Göran Forsling

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Jussi was proud of being of Finnish descent and he visited Finland on numerous occasions. During the war he sang at charity concerts several times and in 1951 he was happy to meet Sibelius at his home in Ainola, outside Helsinki. After all the long tours for many years, not least across the North American continent, he was at times rather tired of travelling, but to Finland he always travelled with pleasure, as he told a Finnish journalist. In January 1955 he had an opportunity to return to “the land of the thousand lakes,” but before that he was booked …

Interpreting Björling’S Grave As A Symbol Of Swedish Patriotism, Marc Nicholson

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

In August 2017 I undertook a guided tour of the Baltic States, but thereafter I spent a week on my own in Sweden for the primary purpose of visiting the Jussi Björling Museum in Borlänge and placing flowers on Björling’s grave. I owe him a great deal, because he introduced me to opera as a 12-year-old boy in 1962 through his recording with Victoria de Los Angeles of Madama Butterfly, and still more because his beautiful and plaintive voice has accompanied and moved me over my ensuing 57 years. Björling is NOT entertainment. He is existential to us. So …

Remembering Phyllis Josell, Dan Shea

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Our longtime member Phyllis liked to speak of being introduced to classical music and live concerts by her husband Harold “Hal” Josell, who deeply loved the singing of Jussi Björling. They accumulated a collection of LPs together while bringing up their kids, working and enjoying friends, in New Jersey.

Jussi Björling’S Des Grieux In New Cd Editions, Kristian Krogholm

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

One of the two operas that Björling learned and performed on stage after he left the Stockholm Opera to join the Metropolitan was Puccini’s Manon Lescaut. He seemed to have just the perfect vocal gears for this opera, encapsulating both lyric brilliance and dramatic intensity in that unique musical instrument for the role of the lovesick Des Grieux. He sang the role between 1949 and 1959 and there are four complete recordings of him as Des Grieux, including the 1954 studio take in Rome.

Centenary Of The Björling Boys Celebrated In New Book, Sue Flaster

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Much of the story of David Björling in America, as well as his later misadventures with the Swedish Royal Opera, has been based on legend rather than actual history. In some cases, personal failings of a professional sort were replaced by failings of a more personal sort, with the goal of soothing wounded pride, it appears. Although David Björling seems to have been respected and admired as a singer, we have no recordings of his voice, and up to now, very few professional reviews of his singing.

Full Issue

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

No abstract provided.