List of Swedish operatic sopranos

This is a list of operatic sopranos and mezzo-sopranos who were born in Sweden or whose work is closely associated with that country.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Adèle Almati

A

Kerstin Avemo

B

  • Maria Bengtsson (born 1975), soprano performing in Europe's major opera houses[8]
  • Julie Berwald (1822–1877), celebrated opera and concert singer, at the Royal Swedish Opera from 1847[9]
  • Irma Björck (1898–1993), mezzo-soprano opera and operetta singer at the Royal Swedish Opera[10]
  • Olga Björkegren (1857–1950), actress at the Swedish Theatre and singer at the Royal Swedish Opera[11]
  • Anna-Lisa Björling (1910–2006), soprano opera singer and actress, performing at the Royal Swedish Opera from 1948[12]
  • Karin Branzell (1891–1974}, mezzo-soprano at the New York Metropolitan Opera and in Europe, noted for Wagnerian roles[13]
  • Ingela Brimberg (born 1964), soprano and mezzo-soprano opera singer who has performed in Sweden, Germany and Belgium[14]
  • Malin Byström (born 1973), soprano performing leading roles in Europe's major opera houses[15]

C

  • Sara Cahier (1870–1951), American-born Swedish mezzo-soprano in opera and lieder, performed in Europe and New York[16]
  • Justina Casagli (1794–1841), soprano at the Royal Swedish Opera, also performed in Italy and Germany[17]
  • Julia Claussen (1879–1941), mezzo-soprano with the Royal Swedish Opera, also in London, Paris and the United States[18]

D

Mathilda Ebeling

E

F

  • Maria Fontosh (born 1976), Ukrainian-born Russian soprano now in Sweden, performing at the Royal Swedish Opera[27]
  • Wilhelmina Fundin (1819–1911), soprano who sang at the Royal Swedish Opera for 30 years until 1871[28]
Rosa Grünberg

G

  • Maria Gelhaar (1858–1920), soprano who performed with the Royal Swedish Opera from 1883[29]
  • Mathilda Gelhaar (1814–1889), one of the most noted singers of the Swedish Opera in the 1840s and 1850s[30]
  • Wilhelmina Gelhaar (1837–1923), soprano at Stockholm's Royal Theatre from 1857, known in particular for her coloratura roles[31]
  • Mathilda Grabow (1852–1940), soprano considered to be one of the stars of Swedish opera in the late 19th century[32]
  • Rosa Grünberg (1878–1960), actress and soprano singer, considered a prima donna of Swedish opera in the early 1900s[33]
  • Ellen Gulbranson (1863–1947), soprano known for her roles in Wagnerian operas, also sang regualarly in Bayreuth[34]
Davida Hesse-Lilienberg

H

J

  • Agnes Janson (1861–1947), mezzo-soprano opera singer and recitalist, voice teacher in Australia from 1906[43]
  • Busk Margit Jonsson (born 1929), soprano with the Royal Swedish Opera until 1983[44]

K

Katarina Karnéus
  • Katarina Karnéus (born 1965), mezzo-soprano opera singer and recitalist, active first in the UK and New York, later in Sweden[45]
  • Maria Keohane (bonr 1971), soloist who has performed in festivals throughout Europe and made many recordings[46]
  • Anna Maria Klemming (1864–1889), soprano, short but successful career with the Royal Swedish Opera until her early death[47]

L

Jenny Lind (portrait by Eduard Magnus)
  • Karin Langebo (1927–2019), soprano and harpist, active mainly in Sweden and Norway
  • Nanny Larsén-Todsen (1884–1982), soprano active in Stockholm, Milan, New York and Bayreuth, notable for her roles in Wagner's operas[48]
  • Lisa Larsson (born 1967), soprano who has performed widely as a soloist in concerts and festivals[49]
  • Catarina Ligendza (born 1937), soprano active mainly in German opera houses and in Bayreuth, known for her Wagnerian performances[50]
  • Sofia Liljegren (1765–1795), Finnish-Swedish soprano who was a popular performer at the Royal Swedish Opera in the 1780s[51]
  • Elisabeth Lillström (1717–1791), early Swedish actress who performed in stage plays and in comic opera roles as a soprano[52]
  • Jenny Lind (1820–1887), highly regarded soprano, performed in Sweden, across Europe and in concerts throughout the United States[53]
  • Berit Lindholm (1934–2023), performed at Covent Garden and at the Metropolitan Opera, notable for roles in Wagner's operas[54]
  • Göta Ljungberg (1893–1955), major Wagnerian soprano of the 1920s, sang throughout America and Europe[55]
  • Magna Lykseth-Skogman (1874–1949), Norwegian-born Swedish soprano, prima donna of the Royal Swedish Opera[56]

M

  • Marie Louise Marcadet (1758–1804), opera singer and stage actress active in Stockholm and Paris[57]
  • Hillevi Martinpelto (born 1958), operatic soprano and recitalist performing in Sweden and internationally[58]
  • Kerstin Meyer (1928–2020), mezzo-soprano opera and concert performer mainly in Stockholm, Hamburg and London[59]
  • Louise Michaëli (1830–1875), prima donna soprano of the Royal Swedish opera, also successful in London[60]
  • Caroline Müller (1755–1826), highly successful Danish mezzo-soprano first in Copenhagen and later in Stockholm[61]
Birgit Nilsson

N

  • Birgit Nilsson (1918–2005), celebrated soprano in Sweden and internationally, best known for her roles in the operas of Wagner and Richard Strauss[62]
  • Christina Nilsson (1843-1921), coloratura soprano, internationally successful, mainly in Paris, London, North America and Moscow[63]
  • Henriette Nissen-Saloman (1819–1879), mezzo-soprano opera singer and pianist, active touring across Europe and engaged in Saint Petersburg[64]
  • Birgit Nordin (1934–2022), soprano with the Royal Swedish Opera remembered for her Mozart roles[65]

O

  • Elisabeth Olin (1740–1828), first prima donna of the Royal Swedish Opera from its inauguration in 1773[66]
  • Augusta Öhrström-Renard (1856–1921), mezzo-soprano at the Royal Danish Theatre and the Metropolitan Opera, concerts in France and North America[67]
  • Anna Oscàr (1875–1915), leading soprano at the Royal Swedish Opera in the early 20th century[68]
  • Carolina Östberg (1853–1924), celebrated soprano at the Royal Swedish Opera in the late 19th century, also performed in Denmark, Germany and Norway[69]
  • Anne Sofie von Otter (born 1955), mezzo-soprano opera performer, recitalist, and pop singer, with extensive discography[70]
Miah Persson

P

  • Gertrud Pålson-Wettergren (1897–1921), mezzo-soprano with the Royal Swedish Opera, also at the Metropolitan Opera and Covent Garden[71]
  • Miah Persson (born 1969). soprano at the Royal Danish Opera and international concert performer[72]

Q

  • Isa Quensel (1905–1981), actress and soprano at the Royal Swedish Opera, appeared in over 50 films, plays and operas[73]

R

S

  • Hjördis Schymberg (1909–2008), coloratura and lyric soprano, active at the Royal Swedish Opera and internationally in recitals and operas[78]
  • Anna Sofia Sevelin (1790–1871), initially alto, later soprano, highly active with the Royal Swedish Opera until 1833[79]
  • Gitta-Maria Sjöberg (born 1957), Swedish-born soprano, soloist with the Royal Danish Theatre from 1987[80]
  • Elisabeth Söderström (1927–2009), soprano remembered for her roles in the operas of Rachmaninoff and Sibelius in Sweden and internationally[81]
  • Nina Stemme (born 1963), celebrated Wagnerian soprano, performing with opera companies across Europe and the United States[82]
  • Fredrika Stenhammar (1836–1880), soprano with the Royal Swedish Opera, later voice instructor[83]
  • Elisabet Strid (born 1976), soprano known for performances in the operas of Wagner and Strauss at many prominent venues[84]
Camilla Tilling
  • Birgitta Svendén (born 1952), mezzo-soprano known for Wagnerian performances at the Royal Swedish Opera, Metropolitan Opera and Bayreuth[85]
  • Erika Sunnegårdh (born 1966), soprano who has sung with the Metropolitan Opera as well as in Berlin, Malmö and Stockholm[86]

T

  • Bertha Tammelin (1836–1915), actress, mezzo-soprano opera singer, pianist, composer and drama instructor[87]
  • Iréne Theorin (born 1963), soprano in operas and recitals across Europe and in the United States, noted for her Wagnerian roles[88]
Lilly Walleni
  • Camilla Tilling (born 1971), soprano in opera and concert across Europe and in the United States[89]
  • Ingrid Tobiasson (born 1951), mezzo-soprano singing leading roles at the Royal Swedish Opera, also concert recitalist and recording artist[90]

W

  • Lilly Walleni (1875–1920), mezzo-soprano remembered for her Wagner role in German opera houses and Stockholm[91]
  • Elisabeth Wärnfeldt (born 1956), soprano opera and concert singer, author of libretti[92]
  • Jeanette Wässelius (1784–1853), leading prima donna of the Royal Swedish Opera in the early 19th century[93]
  • Sara Widén (1981–2014), soprano with the Royal Swedish Opera until her early death from cancer[94]
  • Henriette Widerberg (1796–1872), soprano, prima donna with the Royal Swedish Opera from 1820[95]
  • Hedvig Wigert (1748–1780), early soprano performer with the Royal Swedish Opera from its inauguration in 1773[96]
  • Zulamith Wellander (1857–1919), mezzo-soprano with the Royal Danish Opera, guest performer in Denmark and Germany, voice instructor[97]

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Sources