Jussi Björling (5 February 1911 – 9 September 1960) was a Swedish tenor and… Read Full Bio ↴Jussi Björling (5 February 1911 – 9 September 1960) was a Swedish tenor and one of most highly regarded opera singers of the 20th century. Björling was one of the few non-Latin tenors to rival the Italian dominance of the opera world at that time.
Björling was born in Borlänge. He studied singing with his father, David, an accomplished vocalist, and made his debut public appearance at the age of four with the Björling Male Quartet. The group performed in concerts throughout Sweden and the United States for eleven and a half years.
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 Mozart's Don Giovanni, Arnoldo in Rossini's William Tell and Almaviva in Rossini's The Barber of Seville. This in turn led to engagements in Europe and the USA. Björling made his American concert debut in Carnegie Hall in 1937; the following year, he made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera as Rodolfo in La bohème.
In December 1940 Arturo Toscanini invited Björling to sing the tenor part in Beethoven's Missa solemnis in New York, a recording of which exists. Björling also performed the Verdi Requiem under Toscanini in 1939 in Lucerne, Switzerland, and in November 1940 in New York, another performance that was recorded and eventually issued as an LP.
In 1945 Björling returned to the US and appeared frequently at the Metropolitan Opera. 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. He appeared as Don Carlo in the opening of the 1950–1951 season, but the relationship with Rudolf Bing was strained, and as a consequence he was absent for a couple of seasons in the mid 1950s. Meanwhile, Björling appeared with other American opera companies such as Lyric Opera of Chicago and San Francisco Opera.
Björling appeared at La Scala in 1946 in Rigoletto and 1951 in Un ballo in maschera. His planned Paris début in 1953 was cancelled however, and except for recitals in United Kingdom, some performances in Yugoslavia, East Germany and South Africa in 1954, Björling rarely appeared outside Scandinavia and United States.
On 15 March 1960 Björling suffered a heart attack before a performance of La Bohème at Covent Garden. He insisted on singing in spite of his condition.[6] Björling then made a short American tour, making his last operatic performance as Faust in San Francisco on 1 April 1960 and his final recital at Skansen, Stockholm, on 20 August 1960 (thirty years to the day after his official debut in 1930). He died of cardiomegaly (an enlarged heart) on the island of Siarö [sv], Sweden, on 9 September 1960, aged 49
Björling was born in Borlänge. He studied singing with his father, David, an accomplished vocalist, and made his debut public appearance at the age of four with the Björling Male Quartet. The group performed in concerts throughout Sweden and the United States for eleven and a half years.
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 Mozart's Don Giovanni, Arnoldo in Rossini's William Tell and Almaviva in Rossini's The Barber of Seville. This in turn led to engagements in Europe and the USA. Björling made his American concert debut in Carnegie Hall in 1937; the following year, he made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera as Rodolfo in La bohème.
In December 1940 Arturo Toscanini invited Björling to sing the tenor part in Beethoven's Missa solemnis in New York, a recording of which exists. Björling also performed the Verdi Requiem under Toscanini in 1939 in Lucerne, Switzerland, and in November 1940 in New York, another performance that was recorded and eventually issued as an LP.
In 1945 Björling returned to the US and appeared frequently at the Metropolitan Opera. 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. He appeared as Don Carlo in the opening of the 1950–1951 season, but the relationship with Rudolf Bing was strained, and as a consequence he was absent for a couple of seasons in the mid 1950s. Meanwhile, Björling appeared with other American opera companies such as Lyric Opera of Chicago and San Francisco Opera.
Björling appeared at La Scala in 1946 in Rigoletto and 1951 in Un ballo in maschera. His planned Paris début in 1953 was cancelled however, and except for recitals in United Kingdom, some performances in Yugoslavia, East Germany and South Africa in 1954, Björling rarely appeared outside Scandinavia and United States.
On 15 March 1960 Björling suffered a heart attack before a performance of La Bohème at Covent Garden. He insisted on singing in spite of his condition.[6] Björling then made a short American tour, making his last operatic performance as Faust in San Francisco on 1 April 1960 and his final recital at Skansen, Stockholm, on 20 August 1960 (thirty years to the day after his official debut in 1930). He died of cardiomegaly (an enlarged heart) on the island of Siarö [sv], Sweden, on 9 September 1960, aged 49
Cavalleria Rusticana: O Lola
Jussi Björling Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Jussi Björling:
Ack Värmeland Ack, Värmland, du sköna, du härliga land, du krona bland Sve…
Act I: Au fond du temple saint Au fond du temple saint Parée de fleurs et d'or Une femme…
Act III: E lucevan le stelle Jag minns stjärnorna lyste Blommor doftade härligt Och grind…
Ah sì ben mio Ah sì, ben mio, coll'essere io tuo Tu mia consorte Avrò più…
Allt Under Himmelens Fäste Allt under himmelens fäste Där sitter stjärnor små Allt unde…
Au fond du temple saint Au fond du temple saint Parée de fleurs et d'or Une femme…
Bland skogens höga furustammar Bland skogens höga furustammar Där ha vi byggt vår egen kamm…
Der Bettelstudent: Nu är jag pank och fågelfri Nu är jag pank och fågelfri, men tänker dock ej klaga. Du…
E Lucevan le Stelle Jag minns stjärnorna lyste Blommor doftade härligt Och grind…
Il Mio Tesoro Ah sì, ben mio, coll'essere io tuo Tu mia consorte Avrò più…
La Bohème Henri Meilhac Philippe Gille…
LA Fanciulla del West "Ch'ella Mi Creda Libero" Ch'ella mi creda libero e lontano Sopra una nuova via di…
Land Du Välsignade Land du välsignade tag min sång Gjut din ande i orden Giv…
Nämmer du Sverige Nämner du Sverige säg känner du ej då en doft utav gran…
Nessun Dorma Così comanda Turandot Questa notte nessun dorma in Pekino! N…
No. 4. Bland skogens hoga furustammar Bland skogens höga furustammar Där ha vi byggt vår egen kamm…
Nu är jag pank och fågelfri Nu är jag pank och fågelfri, Men tänker dock ej klaga. Du…
O Helga Natt O helga natt, o helga stund för världen Då Gudamänskan till…
O Helga Natt (O Holy Night) O helga natt, o helga stund för världen, Då Gudamänskan till…
Pärlfiskarna: Au fond du temple saint Au fond du temple saint Parée de fleurs et d'or Une femme…
Säv säv susa Säv säv susa Våg våg slå I sägen mig var ingalill Den unga…
Sverige Sverige, Sverige Sverige, fosterland Vår längtans bygd, Vårt…
Till havs Nu blåser havets friska vind ifrån sydväst Och smeker ljuvli…
Tonerna Tanke, vars strider blott natten ser. Toner, hos Eder om vi…
Tosca Jag minns stjärnorna lyste Blommor doftade härligt Och grind…
Traditional: Ack Värmeland Du Sköna Ack Värmeland Du sköna Du härliga land Du krona bland Svea r…
Turandot, Act III: Nessun dorma! Nessun dorma! Nessun dorma! Tu pure, o, Principessa, Nella t…
Turandot: Nessun dorma Così comanda Turandot Questa notte nessun dorma in Pekino! N…
Verdi's Il Trovatore: Ah Si Ben Mio Ah sì, ben mio, coll'essere io tuo Tu mia consorte Avrò più…
Wilhelm Peterson-Berger: Bland skogens hoga furustammar Bland skogens höga furustammar Där ha vi byggt vår egen kamm…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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@PippaAT
If this was the last sound I heard on this earth I would die a happy woman.
@lucianasalis9216
Commovente…infinitamente bravo!
@ianduncan7471
Marvellous singing
@massimopieri9531
Una bellissima voce e...una musica commovente :Grazie !
@colinbrigham8253
The music captures the scenery, the intensity and jussi finds the middle way 🤗
@dolgotti
Гений! Genius!
@baltoman24
For me, this is the finest rendition of this beautiful aria- it could even have been more subtle, but Bjorling is just about the only tenor not to over-sing this. He was a one-and-only. There are other great tenors, but he is thought to have had the most perfectly placed voice- clearly that is the case! thank you for this!
@billmontgomery369
Utterly superb - the "killing" tessitura troubles him not at all; it's beautiful with no sense of strain.
@ianduncan9087
Wonderful sung with great dedication and brilliance
@sentfrom4477
Magnificent choice. I am most grateful. God bless you Jussi Bjorling.