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8 unusual facts about Jussi Björling


Carl Leopold Sjöberg

His song "Tonerna" ("Visions") was a staple of the famous tenor Jussi Björling's and still appears in the concert repertory.

Edgar Vincent

He went on to specialize in being a publicist for opera singers, helping shape and forward the careers of major stars like Lily Pons, Anna Moffo, Eleanor Steber, Jussi Björling, George London, Leonard Warren, Mirella Freni, Shirley Verrett, Cecilia Bartoli, Dolora Zajick, and Salvatore Licitra.

General Motors Concerts

Swedish tenor Jussi Björling made his American debut on a General Motors Concert.

Swedish tenor Jussi Björling made his American debut as part of this series on November 28, 1937.

Jussi Björling

Björling's name is now used with the prestigious Jussi Björling Music Scholarship at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota.

On 15 March 1960, Björling suffered a heart attack before a performance of La bohème at London's Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

One of his final recordings was the Verdi Requiem conducted by Fritz Reiner for Decca Records which was recorded as late as June 1960 with Leontyne Price, Rosalind Elias and Giorgio Tozzi.

Sven Salén

Two of his songs, "Sången till havet" (Song to the Ocean) and "Visa kring slånbom och månskära" (Song of Blackthorn and Crescent Moon) were recorded by Jussi Björling.


Spinto

Giovanni Martinelli, Giacomo Lauri-Volpi, Georges Thill, Jussi Björling and Agim Hushi for instance, successfully sang spinto roles such as Radames or Canio with bright-toned voices that lacked any trace of baritonal colouration.


see also