Kerstin Thorborg (19 May 1896 – 12 April 1970) was a Swedish opera singer. The Mezzo-soprano Kerstin Thorborg was one of the best dramatic
Wagnerian singers in the two decades between 1930 and 1950. By all accounts, Thorborg was a magnificent actor with great stage presence. In addition, she was endowed with a beautifully steady and intense tone.
Biography
Born in
Venjan, Sweden, Kerstin Thorborg studied singing at the
Royal College of Music, Stockholm. She made her debut in 1924 singing the role of Ortrud in ''
Lohengrin''. After six successive seasons at the
Royal Swedish Opera
Royal Swedish Opera ( sv, Kungliga Operan) is an opera and ballet company based in Stockholm, Sweden.
Location and environment
The building is located in the center of Sweden's capital Stockholm in the borough of Norrmalm, on the eastern side ...
, Thorborg was engaged for the next two years at the
Nuremberg Opera. The famed conductor
Bruno Walter (1876–1962) engaged her for the
Städtische Oper in Berlin and became her mentor.
Although a contralto, Thorborg's upper register was so secure that she sang numerous mezzo-soprano roles, including
Venus,
Kundry, Fricka, Waltraute, and Magdalena. She was especially known for her searingly beautiful
Brangäne, which was preserved on record. She also appears to wonderful advantage in the live recording of
Mahler's ''
Das Lied von der Erde'', with
Charles Kullmann
Charles Kullman (January 13, 1903February 8, 1983), originally Charles Kullmann, was an American tenor who enjoyed a wide-ranging career, both in Europe and America.
Life and career
Charles Kullman was born in New Haven, Connecticut, and bega ...
(1903–1983) under Bruno Walter, at the Vienna
Musikverein
The ( or ; ), commonly shortened to , is a concert hall in Vienna, Austria, which is located in the Innere Stadt district. The building opened in 1870 and is the home of the Vienna Philharmonic orchestra.
The acoustics of the building's 'Great ...
in 1936 and the even more famous one with the
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra under
Carl Schuricht (1880–1967) in 1939.
In 1938, to escape the
Nazis, she made her home in the United States, singing various roles at the
Metropolitan Opera. She returned to her native Sweden in 1950, after her retirement.
Personal life
In 1928, she married opera singer, actor, screenwriter, theater and opera director, Gustaf Bergman (1880-1952).
References
Further reading
*
External links
Kerstin Thorborg biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thorborg, Kerstin
1896 births
1970 deaths
Royal College of Music, Stockholm alumni
Operatic contraltos
People from Mora Municipality
Swedish expatriates in the United States
20th-century Swedish women opera singers