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The 2022 Jussi Björling Stipendium To Baritone John Lundgren

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Baritone John Lundgren has received the 2022 Jussi Björling Stipendium (Award). This award is given on behalf of The Royal Theatre’s Soloists Foundation, and previous recipients have included soprano Hillevi Martinpelto, violinist Kalle Moraeus and Harald Henrysson. This year’s award was 125,000 kroner (about $12,600 US). Lundgren has also received the Birgit Nilsson Prize in 2006, and was named a Royal Court Singer by King Carl XVI Gustaf in 2021.

Lundgren was educated at Vadstena Academy and in The Opera Academy in Copenhagen. During his studies he joined the ensemble of The Royal Danish Theatre and debuted as Schaunard in …

Thorborg Biography Published, Christer Eklund

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Of the many colleagues who sang with Jussi Björling over the course of his career, Kerstin Thorborg was the closest to him in home ground: she also was born in the province of Dalarna, about 50 miles North of Jussi’s birthplace of Borlänge. In many ways, their careers also were similar, since both had major parts of their professional lives in the United States, centered around the Metropolitan Opera. Thorborg was deeply admired for her vocal range as well as for her acting skills in a wide range of roles.

In 2003 I took over managing the archive of the …

Jussi Björling:, Sue Flaster

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

As we announced in the February 2022 issue of the JBS-USA Journal, we are very excited to publish a book this Fall which will describe the founding of the three Jussi Björling Societies, the writing of the four “basic” books about Jussi Björling, and the history and founding of the Jussi Björling Museum, a unique and deeply admired institution. We have taken advantage of the fact that many of the primary members of our various groups are still with us, and have been enthusiastic participants in this project.

The same good fortune applies to the background of the writing of …

The Jussi Björling Museum Emptied

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

As was previously announced, the Jussi Björling Museum in Borlänge was closed at the turn of the year 2021/22.

Borlänge municipality had debated the fate of the Museum for years, and a decision was made to move it to, or adjacent to, the municipal library. However, it was not until 10 January 2022 that the Museum Curator was informed that the building was to be emptied by the end of February to serve as an office for the upcoming redevelopment of the nearby Liljan building (for the needs of Dalarna University College). Since no new museum space is available now, …

Remembering Don Goldberg, Walter B. Rudolph

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

In my mind, he was a human dynamo. I didn’t know him well, but one couldn’t be around Don Goldberg and not experience who he was. The evening before the official start of our first St. Peter Conference in 2001, everyone around gathered with a few of their favorite recordings. For most of us, this was our introduction to each other. Don was his typical magnetic self, drawing us all together in a manner that left us feeling like we’d known one another for years.

He and I had some natural connection via radio. He had his own show on …

Jussi’S Return To The Metropolitan Opera In 1959, Don Goldberg

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

The spring of 1957 was a difficult time for me. I had planned to attend every Bjoerling performance during the 1957-58 season not knowing in the spring of ’57 that those Met performances would be his last ones for two seasons. So the announcement of Jussi’s return to the Met on November 16, 1959 in Cavalleria Rusticana was to begin a special season for me. Getting tickets for that performance involved standing on a long line that stretched down Thirty-ninth Street down to Broadway.

Conrad L. Osborne To Speak On “The Art Of Jussi Björling”, Conrad L. Osborne

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

JBS-USA is privileged to present the American master of opera critics in a special Zoom presentation for the Society on Tuesday, October 25 at 7:30 pm ET. Members will receive an email invitation to this occasion in September. Current details of event registration appear following this article.

As part of his presentation, Mr. Osborne plans to talk about Jussi’s technique, specifically, his “functional technique,” which is to say the hows and whys of his voice’s makeup. Those are the things that account for the actual sound of the voice, and which made possible Jussi’s extensive command of what Osborne will …

Anders Björling:, Walter B. Rudolph

Newsletter of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

When I read the announcement of Anders’s passing, I immediately thought of Judie. By my calculations, they had passed their 8th wedding anniversary in May. Many of us met her at the Salt Lake City Conference in 2015. Judie renewed Anders. What would he have done without her? They had wonderful years together, and she cared for him through his acute myeloid leukemia (AML). No one else ever knows the depth and breadth of each person’s journey of departure. Judie was Anders’s provider. We acknowledge all she has done and will continue to do in her role.

Marilyn and I …

Full Issue

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

No abstract provided.

When The Muses Went Silent And Almost Died:, Thomas M. Hines

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

What would life be like if there were no fine or performing arts? If music could not be heard in public, if great paintings of famous artists of the past and present could not be seen—in other words, how would we adjust in an esthetically deprived existence? In truth, we could continue to see and hear; nature would still be around us, but the interpretative acuity of our senses would be dulled. Opportunities to witness works of art would not be readily available. Our creative images would be internalized and not reflective of visual or auditory models. It would be …

Jussi’S Live Performances On Cd:, Kristian Krogholm

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

We are very fortunate that a very large number of Jussi Björling`s live recordings have been issued on cd. We have every reason to be grateful for every single recording which has been made available to us. The people to thank for this are of course mainly those behind the Jussi Björling societies and in particular those behind the Bluebell JB series. Two men need to be mentioned here, Frank Hedman and Harald Henrysson. What treasures they have given us through that Swedish label, and almost everything from original tapes and in superb sound.

Also it deserves to be mentioned …

“I Was So Nervous For Him” – Kerstin Thorborg And Jussi Björling, Nils-Göran Olve

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Kerstin Thorborg (1896–1970) was a leading mezzo-soprano with the Metropolitan for thirteen seasons, singing twenty roles in 350 performances. Her debut was as Frick in Die Walküre on 21 December 1936 and her final performances in 1950. Fifteen years older than Jussi Björling and born in the same Swedish region Dalarna (Dalecarlia), she enjoyed twenty years of rather solitary retirement there and died ten years after him. Her Met repertoire focused on Wagner so they met rarely on stage, but of course they knew each other well during the years they met professionally (1936–41 and 1945–50). They can be heard …

Jussi Björling In Mozart, Richard Copeman

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Mozart wrote so well for the voice that his music is still regarded as an essential discipline for students. Jussi was fortunate in being tutored by John Forsell, a specialist in Mozart operas, especially Don Giovanni. One of the arias he worked on was “Dalla sua pace,” the first act aria of Don Ottavio, and wisely he sang it for his 1928 audition at the Opera School and was accepted after further tuition. Jussi later wrote “Of all the opera styles, Mozart’s is the one closest to my heart. My teacher, John Forsell, gave me things to sing that were …

Elisabeth Söderström, Calle Friedner

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Elisabeth Söderström was one of Sweden’s foremost and most versatile sopranos. Her early intention was to become an actress, and acting was something she highly mastered. She admitted herself to have a “little” voice, and the beauty of its sound could vary, but what possibly might have lacked in her voice she compensated very well with musicality and brilliant acting that sometimes could be so good, that the audience would wonder if it was real.

Jbs-Usa Returns To Washington Dc, March 9 – 12, 2024

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

A musical weekend is planned around two JBS board meetings, with plenty of time for music and fine dining. We are so looking forward to being together again, and hope you will join us in Washington as the cherry blossoms start to bloom!

Following is a description of our weekend. If you would like to join us for all or any part of this schedule, we would be delighted to have you with us! We can arrange hotel reservations for anyone flying in.

Conrad L. Osborne:, Conrad L. Osborne

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

JBS-USA is once again privileged to present the American master of opera critics in a special Zoom presentation for the Society on Tuesday, February 20 at 7:30 pm ET., which will be repeated on Saturday, February 24 at 12 noon ET. Following the presentation will be a Q & A segment, to which attendees may submit questions.

About his presentation, Mr. Osborne observes: “In my lifetime, there have been two fundamental shifts, both negative in their impact, in how opera is performed. One is in theatrical presentation – the rise of laissez-faire re-interpretation of the canon by directors and designers. …

A Glistening Record – The Conferences Of Jbs-Usa, Walter B. Rudolph, Dan Shea, Sue Flaster

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

At the end of 1998, two years of preliminary organizational work finally had led to the existence of a USA chapter of the Jussi Björling Society. This new group of enthusiasts from North and South America, Europe – and the whole English-speaking world – felt ready to join forces with the British Appreciation Society and the Swedish Sällskap in studying and honoring the career of Jussi Björling.

We were connected by the newsletters that our first leaders published, and also very much by a new feature of those times: the newly popular internet with individuals forming all sorts of specialty …

From The President, Janel E. Lundgren

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

No abstract provided.

Front Matter

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

No abstract provided.

Einar Larson, Singer And Colleague, Harald Henrysson

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

As far as I can remember, I only met Einar Larson-- who has written so vividly about his friendship with Jussi----once, at Jussi Björlinggården in Borlänge, the exhibition that had been opened in May 1969. I remember him as a strikingly stately, friendly man, very engaged in what was being done in Jussi’s memory in his native city, but we had no closer contact. I think I can vouch for the fact that there were no objections when the chairman of the local heritage association, rector Gösta A. Karlsson, said about him in his speech at the opening of the …

New Release Of Maria Callas Live Copenhagen Concert Of June 9, 1963, John H. Haley

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Members of the Society will recall the 2016 CD release of Jussi Björling’s wonderful October 15, 1959 recital in Copenhagen at Falkoner Centret, the existence of which was previously unknown. The tape for that release was one of a number I acquired of live concerts recorded at that venue by the hall itself, all in fine sound. I have just released another important one, Maria Callas’ live concert there on June 9, 1963, with the Danish Radio Symphony conducted by Georges Prêtre. Callas became much less active on the opera stage starting in 1962, making her last performances in 1965. …

Three Important Books From Jbs-Usa

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Among the tasks taken up by JBS-USA has been the publication and distribution of books which amplify and explore the legacy of Jussi Björling, as well as the efforts in research and organization which make that exploration possible. In the last several years, three important books have been published by the Society which contribute significantly to understanding both the legacy of the great tenor, and the efforts made in supporting that legacy.

Greetings From Her Late Majesty, Janel E. Lundgren

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

In last year’s Journal (Number 30, Feb 2022), we carried an article, “Serenades for the Queen,” in which we recalled the two concerts performed by Jussi Björling as part of Her Majesty’s Coronation Festival Series of concerts in June of 1953, and included copies of his printed programs.

We also remembered Her Majesty’s State Visit to Sweden in June of 1956, where Jussi once again sang to her at the formal luncheon in Stockholm’s City Hall, and enjoyed a delightful conversation afterward.

Last March, we then joined in the spirit of the Platinum Jubilee by sending the Queen copies of …

The Art Of Jussi Björling, Conrad L. Osborne

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

Hello, everybody. Thanks to all of you looking in, and special thanks to Janel Lundgren, who extended the invitation to speak, to Walter Rudolph for hosting our event, to Steve Fischman for handling the sound fragments we’ll be hearing, and to my wife, Molly Regan,for all her help getting the fragments out to Steve. I’ve been following the activities of the Society at one degree of separation for many years, and have met or corresponded with several of you along the way, so I know I’m on home ground, among people as devoted as I am to keeping alive an …

The Advantage Of Not Being A Tenor, Calle Friedner

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

“When I wake up in the morning on my sunny summer island and sometimes hear my two-year-old daughter Ann-Charlotte with her tiny childish voice, but in good sense of pitch, singing “Du lilla solsken som tittar in…” is it then strange to say that I sometimes think of my own childhood filled with singing…”

This is how Jussi Björling begins his memoirs Med bagaget i strupen (With the luggage in my throat). Yes, there should hardly be any doubt about the fact that his daughter was born to become a singer.

However, Ann-Charlotte was not very interested in playing the …

The Björlings And The Swedes In Chicago, Kendall Svengalis

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

The Swedish-American poet, historian, biographer, journalist and folklorist, Carl Sandburg (1878-1967), called it the

Hog Butcher for the World, Tool maker, Stacker of Wheat,

Player with Railroads and the Nation’s Freight Handler;

Stormy, husky, brawling, City of the Big Shoulders…

While the stockyards closed in 1971, Chicago remains a big, brawling, working class city, with a generous overlay of culture and noteworthy architecture financed by its leading citizens. Symphony Hall, home to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the nearby Auditorium Theater, the Lyric Opera, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Goodman Theater, the Field Museum of Natural History, Shedd Aquarium, Adler …

Featuring Chicago’S Frederick Schauwecker, Pianist With Tenor Jussi Björling, Dan Shea

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

The Met’s Opera News magazine featured many articles about Jussi Björling during his career in the USA, mostly highlighting his operatic exploits but occasionally acknowledging his concert career in North America. From September 1945 until Jussi’s last North American concert (Santa Monica in April 1960), his main accompanist was Frederick Schauwecker. Luckily someone at Opera News had the good idea, a decade after Jussi’s death, to arrange an interview with him.

The result was a 2-page article “On the Road with Jussi,” with interesting information on how this tenor and accompanist decided to join forces, how they worked together and …

Jbs – Usa Silver Anniversary Conference Chicago, March 23-26, 2023 Thomas Club At Symphony Center

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

The Board of Directors is delighted to announce registrations are now available for our 25th Anniversary Conference in Chicago. In addition to celebrating Jussi’s career, we will be adding extra activities and remembrances of 25 years of JBS-USA.

From The President

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

No abstract provided.

Front Matter

Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK

No abstract provided.