Nilsson, Sven

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Nilsson, Sven

Nilsson, Sven, Swedish bass; b. Gävle, May 11, 1898; Stockholm, March 1, 1970. He studied with Gillis Bratt and Hjaldis Ingebjarth in Stockholm, and then with Ivar Andresen in Dresden (1928–30). From 1930 to 1944 he was a member of the Dresden State Opera, where he became well known for his Mozart and Wagner portrayals, and also sang in the premieres of Strauss’s Arabella (1933) and Daphne (1938). He likewise sang Wagner in Zoppot from 1934 to 1942. In 1946 he became a member of the Royal Theater in Stockholm, where he appeared until his death. On Nov. 9, 1950, he made his Metropolitan Opera debut in N.Y. as Daland, remaining there on the roster for a season. His guest engagements also took him to London, Milan, Amsterdam, Brussels, Barcelona, and other European music centers. Among his other roles were Osmin, Sarastro, Pogner, and Baron Ochs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis Mclntire