Homedemo

Six Scandinavian Opera Greats

Tor Kjølberg

February 3, 2020

Today, we present our picks of the Scandinavian masters of opera, whose musical work completely subsists of this dramatic musical art form. Five Scandinavian opera greats you probably have heard of if you’re interested in the genre.

Whether dramatically serenading princesses in Puccini or gracefully expressing love or pain in areas, opera singers like no other performers capture our imagination. Here is our take on six of the greatest Scandinavian opera singers of all times.

Lauritz Melcior (1890-1973)
The Copenhagen-born Danish-American Wagnerian tenor was engaged to sing Siegmund and Parsifal for the re-opening of the Bayreuth 1924 Festival. This prestigious contract opened the way to several other appearances such as a Wagner concert with Frida Leider in Berlin in 1923. Around this time several acoustic records were cut for Polydor and the rest is history.

Related: Oslo Opera Pub On The Move

Kirsten Flagstad (1895-1962)
Kirsten Flagstad is known for her performances in Wagner’s operas. The Norwegian soprano was a highly regarded Wagner soprano with leading roles in Aida and Tosca. She ranks among the greatest singers of the 20th century, and many opera critics called hers “the voice of the century”. Desmond Shawe-Taylor wrote of her in the New Grove Dictionary of Opera: “No one within living memory surpassed her in sheer beauty and consistency of line and tone.”

Jussi Björling (1911-60)
Swede Björling was one of the great tenors of the 20^th century appearing at the world’s most famous opera houses in London, Milan and New York. His first performance outside Sweden was a recital in Copenhagen Tivoli in Denmark in 1931.

In an interview for the Swedish daily newspaper Svenska Dagbladet, Luciano Pavarotti stated, “When I’m about to train a new opera, I first listen to how Jussi Björling did it. His voice was unique and it’s his path that I want to follow. I would more than anything else wish that people compared me with Jussi Björling. That’s how I’m striving to sing.»

Related: The Swedish Nightingale

Birgit Nilsson (1918-2005)
The Swedish soprano Birgit Nilsson is celebrated for her performances of Turandot and works by Richard Strauss and Richard Wagner. Her voice was noted for its overwhelming force, bountiful reserves of power, and the gleaming brilliance and clarity in the upper register. She once said that Isolde made her famous and Turandot made her rich.

The secret to singing Isolde, she said, was “comfortable shoes. After a disagreement with the Australian soprano Joan Sutherland, Nilsson was once asked if she thought Sutherland’s famous bouffant hairdo was real. She answered: “I don’t know. I haven’t pulled it yet.”

Nicolai Gedda (1925-)
Swedish Nicolai Gedda sang well into the seventies and is said to be the most recorded tenor in history with nearly 200 performances. He made his final operatic recording at the age 77 in June 2003. His singing is best known for its beauty of tone, vocal control, and musical perception.

Anne-Sofie von Otter (1955-)
The Stockholm-born mezzo Anne-Sofie von Otter has 25 years of recordings to her name, Her repertoire encompasses lieder, operas, oratorios and also rock and pop songs and jazz collaborations.

Her recording of Grieg songs won the 1993 Gramophone Record of the Year, the first time in the award’s history that it had gone to a song recording. In 2001, she released her album with Elvis Costello,

Five Scandinavian Opera Greats, compiled by Tor Kjolberg

Feature image (on top): Swedish opera singer Birgit Nilsson

Where to Go Kayaking in Scandinavia

Tor Kjølberg

January 29, 2020

Kayaking is always at its best when you do it in the land of rivers. Just try paddling across a river in Scandinavia and you will know what kind of magic these rivers hold in their depths. Read more about where to go kayaking in Scandinavia here.

Kayaking is a mental exercise as much as it is a physical one, so if you live there, or happen to be visiting, don’t miss the chance of taking your kayak across the river and enjoy connecting with the grandiose sights you will be visiting as you travel through the river. If seeing plunging cliffs or thousands of miles of rocky coasts excites you, then kayaking in Scandinavian waters is going to be an unforgettable experience. Prepare your clothes, kayak, and paddles, because if you’re kayaking in Scandinavia, then you should have the optimum equipment for it.

Before You Go
What You Should Prepare

You will of course need a good, sturdy kayak. You will also need a paddle, one paddle per person if you have company, and it wouldn’t hurt if you have an extra paddle at your disposal. Don’t forget about how you’re going to transport all that! Kayaks are pretty heavy and can be almost 2 meters in length, so this should be taken into consideration if you are going to use your car to transport it. You can find more tips here on how to transport your kayak safely. Damaging your car must be avoided as much as damaging your kayak, so pay attention as you purchase the proper tools for transportation.

You will also need a PFD or a Personal Floatation Device, one per person, as it is necessary especially if you’re a beginner paddler. A spray skirt is essential as it will keep the water out of your kayak. You will have to make sure it will fit you and your kayak. You will need a waterproof bag to store your gadget there, and a helmet and a headlamp if you are going kayaking in the dark. Maps, GPS, a towline, and extra waterproof bags are indispensable as well.

What You Should Wear
Your clothes should be comfortable, layered, and appropriate to the water temperature and not the day temperature. Avoid at all costs wearing cotton; it will absorb water and it will remain wet for a long while even in high temperatures. You will also have to heed the sun, because despite cloud coverage, you are susceptible to burns, so your clothes should protect you from the sun. You can also use sunscreen for protection from UV rays. Don’t forget to wear your PFD. It is important that you never take it off when you’re on the water.

With that said, you are probably excited to know all about where you should go kayaking in the vast lands of Scandinavia. There are definitely multiple places from which you can choose from. Here are some places that you will definitely love and should consider going to when you embark on your kayaking adventure.

Stockholm
Stockholm is the perfect place to go kayaking. Once winter is over and all the green colors flush out the white, you will see multiple people going to the rivers to enjoy a beautiful day in the warm weather. Rivers around the city will be filled with the pleasing sight of multiple kayaks as people start to paddle around the city. Paddling in kayaks is an easy means of transport for tourists since the city is made up of small islands. If you don’t have one, there are multiple rental spots dotted around Stockholm, and they will give you the option to rent single or double kayaks. They will also cover PFDs and necessary gear in the price.

The Lake District In Denmark
The dazzling lake district is famous for its forests, hills, its vintage nature, mountains, museums, and of course, its breathtaking lakes! This is why it attracts so many people to go out and do all sorts of things. Whether you go canoeing or kayaking, you definitely wouldn’t want to miss exploration of all those sceneries and you will find yourself going back to certain places again, just to watch the sunset from there. Kayaking is truly charming when you’re surrounded by all that greenery, so don’t miss the chance of adventuring there.

Northern Sweden
If you’re on the northern side of Sweden, then you’re in luck. There are multiple rivers like Ume, The Torne, and Lule that will make your journey a true adventure into the wilderness. You will get to see the highest coast in the world. You will also get to see the Gulf of Bothnia, and Unesco World Heritage site and enjoy the mountainous landscape and the magnificent archipelago as you traverse the Swedish rivers. So, buckle up and prepare your paddles because kayaking there is a priceless experience!

Åland Island
Kayaking in the archipelago of the beautiful Åland island is a wondrous experience. Just try searching for the location on your search engine, and you will get multiple pictures of astounding landscapes. Seeing them and being actually there floating on the undisturbed line of the water is a whole different thing! Kayaking in the embrace of nature is truly something that you wouldn’t want to miss, so it’s best you try it. Be aware that the wind picks up at any given moment and the weather can change depending on where you are on the island, so make sure to dress accordingly.

Geiranger In Norway
Enjoy paddling in your kayak as you travel through the beautiful rippling water of Norway, and discover new scenic places as you tour the place. This tour is better be prepared with a tour guide to point out all the necessary information of places you’re going to see like the Seven Sisters Waterfall and don’t forget to bring your camera with you to capture the majesty of the looming hills and the expanse of land surrounding you!

Kayaking in Scandinavia is one of the best methods to see everything in one tour. It is exhilarating, it is magical, and it will provide you with memories for years to come. Kayaking in archipelagos is the perfect opportunity to do exercises and getting to see nature in its true form, so don’t miss out on that and start your journey!

Kayaking made easy

More tips here

Where to Go Kayaking in Scandinavia is explicitly written for Daily Scandinavian

Scandinavian Elk

Tor Kjølberg

January 24, 2020

In Sweden, and also in Norway, elk hunting is a passion, as well as an important contribution to both the personal and national economy. The elk had already been hunted to extinction in Denmark in the Stone-Age, though once in a while a young elk desperately looking for a mate swims across the sound between Sweden and Denmark. Read more about the Scandinavian elk.

The elk population is controlled in order to keep the population healthy, and to protect the deciduous woods. Elk hunting in Sweden and Norway is a much-regulated affair, usually taken care of by hunting parties, which then share the meat as dictated by a very strict set of rules.

According to official figures, hunters kill about 100,000 elk each year in Sweden. In Norway, 30,636 moose were killed in the 2018/2019 season. Elk meat represents a substantial portion of the meat eaten in Sweden in particular.

Appearance and taste
The elk is a giant deer, about the size of a very large horse, big enough to give you 250kg of meat to eat, and big enough to do serious damage to your car if you collide with one (a relatively common occurrence in Sweden and Norway).

Related: Scandinavian Wildlife

The elk is an awkward-looking animal, rather like a wildebeest, which has the appearance of being made up from the spare parts of several animals. The elk’s neck is too short to reach the ground, so it feeds mainly on the young shoots and leaves of deciduous trees. To eat grass, it has to squat down on the ground – a very funny sight, but elks are surprisingly agile swimmers, and they often dive to feed off the vegetation to be found in lakes and streams.

Elk meat is extremely dark and very lean, and tastes like gamy beef. Elk offal is much sought after, the liver being a particular delicacy.

Related: Scandinavian Game

Culinary uses
Elk can be bought in northern Scandinavia from butchers and supermarkets, but it is quite expensive. Also, you will have no way of knowing how old it is, nor usually which cut of meat you’re buying. The safe way to use this meat is in a stew.

Elk meat can be cooked like beef, but take care not to overcook it as it is much leaner than beef. Elk meat takes well to a marinade, and it’s very good in kebabs, patties, hamburgers and whole roasts.

You can read more about elk hunting in Sweden here.

Scandinavian Elk, written by Tor Kjolberg