Besides the Jussi Björling Museum, three other collections preserve the memorabilia of internationally famous Scandinavian singers, like Björling with long careers at the Metropolitan Opera. Two of the singers were Swedish, the soprano Birgit Nilsson and the mezzo-soprano Kerstin Thorborg, one of them Norwegian, the soprano Kirsten Flagstad.
Below you will find, in alphabetical order, links to these collections and to websites which give information about six other Nordic singers: two Swedish sopranos from an earlier period, Jenny Lind and Christina Nilsson, Jussi Björling's soprano partner Hjördis Schymberg, his heldentenor friend and Met colleague Lauritz Melchior, the Swedish-American tenor Aroldo Lindi and the Finnish tenor Peter Lindroos.
Kirsten Flagstad (1895-1962)
Jenny Lind (1820-1887)
Information in English can be found on this website:
Aroldo Lindi (1888-1944)
Born in Sweden as Harald Lindau, Lindi had an important career both in the US, where he emigrated at the age of fourteen, and in Europe. There is an American website with many illustrations:
Peter Lindroos (1944-2003)
The Finnish tenor has a website in English, Italian and Finnish:
Lauritz Melchior (1890-1973)
The great Danish heldentenor has two websites:
Birgit Nilsson (1918-2005)
A museum dedicated to the great soprano was opened in 2010 in her childhood home in south Sweden. Website in Swedish and English:
Christina (Christine) Nilsson (1843-1921)
became one of the most famous sopranos of her time. She spent her last years in Växjö, and was buried in a mausoleum there. At Smålands Museum in Växjö, two portraits of her and jewels which she received at a performance in St. Petersburg in 1873 are shown.
The house where she was born, Snugge, is open to visitors in the summer. Information: Växjö Tourist Office, phone +46 470 41410 / fax +46 470 47814 / e-mail:
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The Christina Nilsson Society has a website in Swedish, English, German and French:
Their contact address is:
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Hjördis Schymberg (1909-2008)
A website in Swedish by Björn Östlund gives information about the recordings of Jussi Björling's longtime soprano partner Hjördis Schymberg and presents pictures of her:
Kerstin Thorborg (1896-1970)
This mezzo was, like Jussi Björling, born in the province of Dalarna (Dalecarlia). She made her debut at the Royal Opera, Stockholm, as Ortrud 1924 and Amneris 1925. She appeared in a lot of roles, particularly Wagner and Verdi, until 1930. Then she held engagements in Nuremberg and Prague (1930-32), Berlin (Städtische Oper, 1932-35), Vienna (State Opera 1935-38). Great attention attracted her courageous breakage of her opera contract in Vienna after "Anschluss". She sang in Salzburg (1935-37) and at Covent Garden (1936-39). She made her Met debut 1936 as Fricka (Walküre); in 13 seasons she sang 243 perfs. of 19 roles, including Brangäne, Erda (Siegfried), Waltraute, Ortrud, Kundry, Venus, Amneris, Ulrica, Azucena, Octavian, Orfeo, Marina and Herodias. She sang also in Buenos Aires (1933), Los Angeles and San Francisco (1938, 1943), and with Met on tour in many places. Thorborg was admired for her vital stage presence, for her magnificent, heroic voice and named "Caruso of the Altos" and "The Swedish Great Lady of Song". At the Met she was mezzo counterpart to Flagstad and Melchior.
Thorborg was married to Gustaf Bergman (1880-1952), tenor and stage director. For two years he lived as holder of a scholarship at Cosima Wagner´s Villa Wahnfried in Bayreuth. He studied song for Vidal in Milan, music theory for Humperdinck in Berlin and had a good career 1905-1920 in Berlin, New York and Chicago.
By her last will Thorborg left her and her husband´s property to a foundation for research. The collection includes thousands of letters, 1350 pages (big size) of clips, programs, piano scores, sheet music, photos, films, books, costumes etc. The Thorborg Collection has been arranged and catalogued by Seth Karlsson (1919-2003). For further information about the collection please contact: