Jussi's Three Debuts at the Stockholm Opera

Olve: Jussi’s Three Debuts at the Stockholm Opera John Forsell and his students 1930. Jussi is far right. Jussi’s Three Debuts at the Stockholm Opera By Nils-Göran Olve s readers of this journal may know before we go deeper into that we need to hoped to become an opera singer you would Jussi Björling’s first role in opera understand the kind of employer the Stock- aim for this theatre. It had a permanent was the tiny part of the Lamplight- holm Opera of those days was, into which ensemble, if without today’s guaranteed em- Aer in Manon Lescaut, a role which is only 18 successful debuts could provide entry. Then ployment. There were at least forty soloists bars long – but most of them solo – in that this article will trace the circumstances who could be required at short notice to opera’s third act. That was on 21 July 1930, behind each of the three debuts, in turn. take part in those operas that management and the venue was of course the Stockholm chose, and if they wanted to accept invi- Opera, or as it says on the poster “Kungl. The system of repertoire theatre, a perma- tations to perform elsewhere they needed Teatern” — an abbreviation for “Kungliga nent ensemble – and debuts permission. The repertoire was finally de- Teatern” — The Royal Theatre. If you can There were few opportunities for opera cided on a week-by-week basis, so they had master rudimentary Swedish you can find singers in Sweden in 1930. The title was to be on hand and receive their schedules at it and much of the data that I will cite in used also by operetta singers, and there fairly short notice. This ensemble handled this article on https://www.operan.se/en/ were temporary opera groups which some- all parts, except for rare guest appearances archives/. Jussi’s landlords, Mr. and Mrs. times toured the countryside. Otherwise by Swedes who had established themselves Svedelius, attended the performance, but he the Stockholm Royal Opera and the Grand abroad and by foreign stars. Those then missed Jussi’s appearance as it lasted only Theatre in Gothenburg (actually quite a joined an existing production for a night or about one minute. small theatre seating about 600, and still in two, usually without more than a few hours According to the rules in those days existence) were the only possibilities. The rehearsal. Operas like Faust or Tannhäuser such a small part did not count as a debut. latter had put on ambitious opera produc- were performed in similar ways in most Jussi, like other singers, had to make three tions during the twenties with Martin Öh- of the world’s opera houses. At least this debuts as proof of his readiness for employ- man and a young soprano named Kirsten applied to how the characters were under- ment. The first was Don Ottavio in Mozart’s Flagstad, in addition to operetta and spoken stood and moved on stage – for these two Don Giovanni 20 August 1930 — one theatre, but some years into the thirties it operas musical versions would vary. month after the Lamplighter. In the mean- would focus entirely on operetta. Of course premieres or revivals of time he had performed the Lamplighter Opera training existed only in Stock- works that had long been absent required once more plus another minuscule part, so holm as a co-venture of the Royal Conserva- planning and rehearsals, but mostly it was the debut was his fourth performance. But tory of Music and the Royal Opera. So if you expected that an opera which had been www.jussibjorlingsociety.org February 2020 Journal of the Jussi Björling Society – USA, Inc. v 5 Published by BYU ScholarsArchive, 2020 1 Journal of the Jussi Björling Societies of the USA & UK, Vol. 28 [2020], No. 28, Art. 3 might take part in 100 performances during other singers might think of the newcomer the season. New productions were obvious- as a competitor for the limited number of ly rehearsed, but if you just succeeded an positions, and the audience members who older colleague in a role, rehearsing with a were frequent visitors would compare him pianist in a small studio might be deemed or her with predecessors in the same role. sufficient. Some singers were so established That debuts should be three in number was that they “owned” their parts for decades, an old tradition. Already in 18th century and those might deign to rehearse only if France there seems to have been a demand they had to meet a new singer in a leading for qualified candidates to make debuts part. during the first month of the season as a In the mid-1930s when he was well es- kind of proof of their abilities, after which tablished at the Royal Opera but also in de- audience reactions and management mand for appearances elsewhere, Jussi did determined if this was a singer (or dancer) 18-19 roles per season for a total of almost who should remain. Those who failed would 80 performances. Singers who mostly did have to try their luck elsewhere. small parts would average more. And they In Stockholm debutants were singers were of course not quite the same operas who had attended the Opera College (at every year. Singers had to be able to “brush that time closely linked to the Royal Opera) up” things they once had studied, and came or learnt their craft abroad, and they could back to every few years, remarkably quickly. rarely count on a good position or a rea- Given a week’s advance warning, it seems sonable salary straightaway. A young singer very likely they could have performed any would normally become a “stipendiary” (in among 30 or so roles — at least after a few Swedish: stipendiat), a stage which most Jussi as Don Ottavio 20 August 1930 years in the company. singers at the Stockholm Opera in those A lot comes back when you enter a sit- days had to pass. During one or two years given the previous year should be possible uation where scenery, colleagues, tempi etc. and for a salary close to starvation they to take up again without much preparation. are familiar. And they were singing in their would be coached to enter a range of roles The previous season, 1929/30, the Royal own language. A very different idea of what within the current repertoire, and in that Opera had performed 50 different operas, constitutes a good opera performance from way make themselves useful. For the theatre in addition to ballets. At this time there today, when we are so occupied with new such apprentices were an investment, be- were few of the latter, only four that had interpretations and concepts. For a singer cause they required help from experienced been given a few times each. The number of with his strong roots before the turn of the rehearsal pianists and assistant directors – performances for each opera varied widely. century the general manager John Forsell but not always on stage and with orchestra. That season there had been eight that were was surprisingly modern in encouraging Only when the singer had become equally new, at least to Stockholm, among them the new works and theatrical ideas, not least valuable as her or his colleagues would Manon Lescaut into which Jussi Björling visual ones. But with a large repertoire, normal employment be offered. This was a now had to fit in as Lamplighter, because productions are long-term investments and cheap way for the theatre to exploit young it continued to be played from time to need to be maintained so that they can be hopeful singers. For instance, one genera- time. With Carmen it had been one of the “mobilized” without much rehearsal. The tion later Margareta Hallin was stipendiary 1929/30 season’s big successes with 14–15 orchestra was much smaller than now, so for two seasons; when after two years the performances of each. Many operas were every musician would be used every night 25-year-old finally became a “soloist” in given only once per year, for instance the (if his instrument was required by the 1956 she already had been a guest at the Vi- big Wagner operas that the core audience composer) and know every work in the enna State Opera as the Queen of the Night! wanted to see annually. repertoire. As would the chorus. Successful debuts had a career value So becoming employed at the Opera To be considered for one of the few also for singers who then went elsewhere. meant to enter a production system where new openings singers needed to survive the But normally they were the needle’s eye on you learnt a number of new roles each year, “test of fire” of actually taking part in some the path towards an intended life-long em- but also had to be prepared to do at least real performances. Often this meant to join ployment which would go on until the age twenty to thirty roles in the permanent well-established colleagues in any suit- of 53 (men) or 50 (women). This was the repertoire, big and small, more or less able production which formed part of the system of the state-run Royal Opera during without rehearsals. An established soloist repertoire, after just a few rehearsals. The most of the 1900s. 6 v February 2020 Journal of the Jussi Björling Society – USA, Inc. www.jussibjorlingsociety.org https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jussibjorlingsociety/vol28/iss28/3 2 Olve: Jussi’s Three Debuts at the Stockholm Opera (Confusingly, “stipendiat” in Swedish John Forsell obviously thought so – book about his brother we read how Forsell applies to any recipient of a grant, so for in- the Royal Opera’s plenipotent leader and criticized Jussi’s girth already at this time.

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