Archive


Links to Jussi of the Month.

Jussi of the Month - September 2013
Nov 1938 Debut at the Metropolitan 

Jussi of the Month - October 2013
Oct 2013 Oct 1945

Jussi of the Month - November 2013
Nov 1948 Bell Telephone Hour 

Jussi of the Month - December  2013
Dec 1954

Jussi of the Month - January 2014
Jan 1934 Fanal

Jussi of the Month - February 2014
Feb 1958 Drawing of lots
World Championship Soccer

Jussi of the Month - March 2014
Mar 1956 Boheme Recording with Beecham

Jussi of the Month-April 2014
Apr 1943 Guest Appearance in Italy

Jussi of the Month-May 2014
May 1939 Debut at Covent Garden

Jussi of the Month-June 2014
Jun 1936 Sucess in Vienna

Jussi of the Month-July 2014
Jul 1956 Gröna Lund

Jussi of the Month-August 2014
Aug 1949 Hollywood Bowl

Jussi of the Month-September 2014
 Sept 1955 Carnegie Hall

Jussi of the Month- October 2014
Oct 1938 L’Africaine in Stockholm

Jussi of the Month-November 2014
 
Nov 1944Recording Nessun
dorma with Tor Mann

Jussi of the Month -December 2014
Dec 1940 Un ballo in maschera at MET

Jussi of the Month-January 2015
Jan 1932 First Recording as Erik Odde

Jussi of the Month - February 2015
Feb 1959 First and Only Stereo
Recording in Sweden

Jussi of the Month-March 2015
Mar 1928 Jussi on Radio

Jussi of the Month - April 2015
Apr 1960 Last US-tour

Jussi of the Month - May 2015
May 1943 Concerts in Stockholm

Jussi of the Month - June 2015
Jun 1951 Jussi Visits Sibelius

Jussi of the Month - July 2015
Jul 1960 Jussi’s Last July

Jussi of the Month - August 2015
Aug 1954 South Africa 

Jussi of the Month - September 2015
Sept 1945 Last September in Stockholm
Before Returning to the US

Jussi of the Month - October 2015
Oct 1935 Jussi’s First Radamès

Jussi of the Month - November 2015
Nov 1948 Jussi in the US

Jussi of the Month - December 2015
Nov/Dec 1959 Last Appearances at the MET

Jussi of the Month -  January 2016
Jan 1959 London – Stockholm

Jussi of the Month - February 2016
Feb 1956 USA

Jussi of the Month - March 2016
Mar 1933 Stockholm +
Gramophone Recordings

Jussi of the Month -  April 2016
Apr 1943 Stockholm

Jussi of the Month - May 2016
May 1946 USA

Jussi of the Month - September 2016
Sept 1949 USA and Hawaii

Jussi of the Month - October 2016
Oct 1933 Recordings and Concerts

Jussi of the Month - November 2016
Nov 1932  2 Premieres in Stockholm

Jussi of the Month - December 2016
Dec 1948 MET

Jussi of the Month - January 2017
Jan 1957 Tosca with Birgit Nilsson
in Stockholm and Zürich

Jussi of the Month - February 2017
Feb 1951 USA & Canada

Jussi of the Month -  March 2017
Mar 1953 Debut in Paris

Jussi of the Month - April 2017
Apr 1949 Tour with Anna-Lisa in USA

Jussi of  the Month - May 2017
Maj 1959 Ann-Charlotte’s Confirmation

Jussi of the Month - September 2017
Sept 1933 Opera in Stockholm
and First Time at Skansen

Jussi of the Month - October 2017
Oct 1958 Trovatore etc in USA

Jussi of the Month - November 2017
Nov 1953 New Faust at MET

Jussi of the Month - December 2017
 
Dec 1947  Tour in USA

Jussi of the Month - January 2018
Jan 1941 Last Season in USA Before the War

Jussi of the month - February 2018
Feb 1957  Slimmed Jussi Charms
Copenhagen and Gothenburg

Jussi of the Month - March 2018
Mar 1951 Tour With Anna-Lisa

Jussi of the Month - April 2018
Apr 1946 Earthquake in California
and Concerts in Havana

Jussi of the Month - May 2018
May 1935

Jussi of the Month - September 2018
Björling Quartet in USA 1919 – 1921

Jussi of the Month - October 2018
Oct 1940

Jussi of the Month - November 2018
Autumn 1959

Jussi of the Month - December 2018
Jussi Doesn’t Hear Caruso

Jussi of the Month - January 2019
Jan 1955 In Finland

Jussi of the Month - February 2019
Auctioned Rarity Not so Mystical

Jussi of the Month - March 2019
Jussi in Helsinki and London,
March 1955

Jussi of the Month - April 2019
Hislop helps Jussi find his top notes

Jussi of the Month - May 2019
June 1956: Swedish National Day,
Queen Elizabeth
and Recording in Rome

Jussi of the Month - September 2019
Jussi's first debut

Jussi of the Month - October 2019
US October 1949

Jussi of the Month -November 2019
About November 1959

Jussi of the Month - December 2019
Jussi's debut nr two

Jussi of the Month - January 2020
Jussi's debut nr three

Jussi of the Month - February 2020
Laborious opening of the Leap Year 1932

Jussi of the Month - March 2020
 
March 1935: a normal month’s work

Jussi of the Month - April 2020
Is set due to public infection

Jussi of the Month - May 2020
Operetta discs May 1938

Jussi of the Month - September 2020
September 1942

Jussi of the Month - October 2020
October 1938: L’africaine, and more

Jussi of the Month - November 2020
November 1935

Jussi of the Month - December 2020
December 1935: One more night with Chaliapin

Jussi of the Month - January 2021
 
Touring the States in January 1940

Jussi of the Month - February 2021
Touring the US in February 1949

Jussi of the Month - March 2021 
The USA tour of the Winter of 1949 Continues

Jussi of the Month - April 2021
April 1952

Jussi of the Month - May 2021
May 1931

Jussi of the Month - September 2021
Fully-fledged soloist

Jussi of the Month - October 2021
Jussi's Early Prima Donnas

Jussi of the Month - November 2021
Don Carlo with a new boss, part 1

Jussi of the Month - December 2021
Don Carlo with a new boss, part 2

Jussi of the Month - January 2022
Jussi’s Early Prima Donnas II

Jussi of the Month - February 2022
 
Jussi’s Male Colleagues at the
Royal Stockholm Opera in the 1930s

Jussi of the Month - March 2022
March 1937: Vienna

Jussi of the Month - April 2022
 
Some important conductors at
the Royal Swedish Opera during
Jussi’s time there

 

 


 

Click here for Jussi of the Month Chronology (up to February 2019)


Summer Concerts

 Summer concerts 2013

Summer concerts 2014:

Voxna

Kungsträdgården

Skansen

Strömsbruk

Summer concerts 2015:

Voxna

Kungsträdgården

Skansen

Strömsbruk

Summer concerts 2016:

Voxna

Kungsträdgården

Skansen

Strömsbruk

Since 2017 has this service discontinued


The Jussi Björling Magazine (only in Swedish)

 

Spring 2013 

Autumn 2013 

Spring 2014

Autumn 2014 

Spring 2015

Autumn 2015

Since spring 2016 has this service discontinued


The Board Members’ Jussi Favourites

Bengt Krantz favourite recording


Annual meetings

2014

2015

2016

2017

Since 2017 has this service discontinued


Miscellaneous

Jussi in Furuvik


Jussi Björling Centenary 2011-12

 

A Statistical survey of Jussi Björling's Memory 2010-2011

Events, radio or television programs are known from 15 countries: Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Norway, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, USA.

 
* 163 concerts
 
* 78 lectures, CD presentations, discussions etc.
 
* 48 radio or television programs
 
* 5 exhibitions
 
* 5 books and web publications
 
* 9 CD & DVD releases
 
 

Memorial concerts

List of memorial concerts during 2010-2011
 
2010
 
July 12, Voxna Church. JB memorial concert with Ingrid Tobiasson (mezzo), Olle Persson (bar) & Nils Olsson (ten).
 
July 18, Borlänge, Stora Tuna Church. JB memorial concert with soloists from the "Opera på Skäret" Bohèmeproduction: Yana Klein (sop) & César Gutierrez (ten).
 
August 16, Stockholm, Royal Palace. JB memorial concert in the "Music at the Royal Palace" series. Singers: Claes-Håkan  Ahnsjö, Daniel Johansson, Daniel Svenson, Ingrid Tobiasson, Paulina Pfeiffer, Agneta Eichenholz, Marcus Jupither, Michael Weinius, Mats Carlsson, Lars Cleveman, Katarina Karnéus, Mario Malagnini, Petri Lindroos & Fredrik Zetterström. Stockholm Ensemblen, cond. Mats Liljefors. Presentation: Kerstin Meyer. Excerpts from the concert broadcast 28 November by Swedish Television.
 
August 28, Stockholm, Skansen, Solliden. JB memorial concert with tenors Mats Carlsson, Nils Olsson (JB-society prize winners) & Raymond Björling. Accompanists: André Baraula & Love Derwinger (piano) & Sone Banger (accordion). Folk music performed by Matts Arnberg & Ulf Störling. Presentation: Stefan Olmårs; introductory JB presentation: Bertil Bengtsson.
 
September 9, Borlänge, Stora Tuna Church. JB memorial concert with the Falun Conservatory Choir and the Borganäs Choir, Borlänge. Soloists: Carolina Bengtsdotter Ljung (alto), Raymond Björling (ten). Conclusion at Jussi Björling's gravesite with the chorus and speech by County Governor Maria Norrfalk.
 
September 10, Rättvik, Ovanmyra Mission Hall. "A Life as Björling". JB memorial programme by Raymond Björling (ten).
 
September 26, Borlänge, Mission Church. JB memorial concert by Fredrik de Jounge (ten). Includes Erik Odde songs.
 
December 12, Örebro, Trinity Church. Concert with The New Björling Quartet, Stockholm Boy's Choir and Raymond Björling (ten) in memory of Jussi's debut at the church in 1915. Presentation: Calle Friender.
 
 
2011
 
January 13, Vienna, Grosser Festsaal der Industriellen Vereinigung. JB memorial gala including tenors Piotr Beczala and Lars Björling. Presentation: Rudolf Wallner.
 
January 22, Malmö, Palladium. JB memorial concert with Raymond Björling & Rickard Söderberg (ten) & Karin O Bäckström (mezzo); Joakim Andersson, piano. Introductory talk by Raymond Björling about his grandfather.
 
January 28, Stockholm, Italian Cultural Institute. JB memorial concert with Raymond Björling (ten), Anna-Lena Engström (sop), Antonio Sarnelli da Silva (bar) & Elisabeth Wärnfeldt (sop); Paolo Scibilia (piano).
 
January 30, Stockholm, Högalid Church. "Life Ethics in Opera Literature". JB memorial concert with Raymond Björling (ten), Anna-Lena Engström (sop), Antonio Sarnelli da Silva (bar) & Elisabeth Wärnfeldt (sop); Paolo Scibilia (piano).
 
February 5, Borlänge, Mission Church. JB memorial concert by Mats Carlsson (ten); Love Derwinger (piano). The concert is preceded by the Scandinavian Jussi Björling Society's annual meeting at the JB Museum.
 
February 5, London (UK), Ulrika Eleonora Swedish Church. JB memorial concert by Raymond Björling (ten).
 
February 5, Pointe-Claire (Quebec, Canada), Stewart Hall. "Evening at the Opera: Happy Birthday Jussi Björling!" Memorial concert hosted by Manrico Tedeschi (ten) with Franco Perrotta (ten), Makiko Awazu (sop) & Pamela Jones (sop); Jacques Saint-Jean (piano).
 
February 6, Oslo (Norway), Arie Opera Club. "We celebrate the centenary of the world's greatest tenor". JB memorial programme including the concert by Andreas Hoff Eriksen (ten).
 
February 26, Västervik, S:t Petri Church. JB memorial concert by Mats Carlsson (ten); Bo Ingelberg (piano & organ).
 
February 26, Ånge, Torp Church. JB memorial concert by Nils Olsson (ten).
 
March 3, Uppsala, Alfvén Hall. JB memorial concert by Mats Carlsson (ten) and the Manifestum male chorus; Love Derwinger (piano). With JB presentation by Bertil Bengtsson.
 
March 4, Strängnäs, Paulinska Aulan. JB memorial concert by Mats Carlsson (ten) and the Manifestum male chorus; Love Derwinger (piano). With JB presentation by Bertil Bengtsson.
 
March 5, Mariehamn (Åland, Finland), Margaretagården.JB memorial concert by Mats Carlsson (ten) and the Manifestum male chorus; Love Derwinger (piano). With JB presentation by Bertil Bengtsson.
 
March 12, Aalborg (Denmark), Utzon Center. "Tonerna". JB memorial concert (during Aalborg Opera Festival) by Mats Carlsson (ten); Anders Ahnfelt-Ronne (piano). JB presentation by Ahnfelt-Ronne.
 
March 13, Berlin (Germany), Staatsoper (Schillertheater). JB memorial concert with Zoran Todorovich (ten) and lecture by Juergen Kesting.
 
April 1, Helsinki/Helsingfors (Finland). JB memorial concert by Mats Carlsson (ten) and the Manifestum chorus. With JB presentation by Bertil Bengtsson.
 
April 16, Degerfors, Församlingshemmet. JB memorial concert with Kent Lundberg (ten) & Sören Ågren (piano).
 
April 27, Helsingfors, Dunkers Kulturhus. "In Jussi's Footsteps". Memorial concert by Joachim Bäckström (ten); Joachim Thomas Darelius (piano).
 
May 8, Karlskoga, Musikpalatset. "Jussi Björling 100". Memorial concert with Kent Lundberg (ten) & Sören Ågren (piano).
  
May 14, Borlänge, Haga School. Spring Festival, "In memory of Jussi" with Anna Eklund-Tarantino (sop), Carolina Bengtsdotter Ljung (alto), Gwyn Hughes Jones (ten, 2nd prize winner in the JB Tenor Competition 1994) & Tobias Nilsson (bar), Borganäskören, Borlänge kammarkör & Borlänge orkesterförening; cond. Mario Gropsianu.
 
May 25, Österåker, Church. JB memorial concert by Raymond Björling (ten) & Åkersberga Chamber Choir.
 
June 9, Helsinki/Helsingfors (Finland), Hanaholmen. JB memorial programme with lecture by Yrsa Stenius and song by Mats Carlsson (ten).
 
June 11, Riga (Latvia). JB memorial concert by Mats Carlsson (ten). JB presentation by Bertil Bengtsson.
 
June 17, Stockholm, Eric Ericsonhallen. JB memorial concert with The New Björling Quartet and Raymond Björling (ten).
 
June 18, Hamar (Norway), Cathedral Ruin. International JB memorial tenor concert as part of Kirsten Flagstad Festival. Participants: Henrik Engelsviken & Thomas Ruud (Norway), Markus Pettersson (Sverige), Peter Lodahl (Denmark), Gardar Thor Cortes (Island) & Gong Yinjia (China); Helg Evju (piano). Introductory presentation of JB.
 
June 18, Löfsta Bruk Church. "Jussi Björling 100 år!" Memorial opera concert with JB theme by Con Voce chorus & soloists.
 
June 19, Borlänge, Stora Tuna Church. JB memorial concert with The New Björling Quartet & Raymond Björling (ten).
 
June 30, Katrineholm, Hanebergs Säteri. "Jussi in Our Hearts". Memorial concert by Mats Carlsson (ten); Johan Ullén (piano). Presentation by Bertil Bengtsson.
 
July 9, Höganäs, Krapperup Concert Hall. "In JB's Footsteps". Memorial concert with Katarina Dalayman (sop), Thomas Sunnegårdh (ten) & Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra, cond. Stefan Solyom.
 
July 10, Borlänge, Haga School. JB memorial concert with soloists from the Opera på Skäret Carmen production: Stuart Neill (ten) & Sandra Lopez (sop).
 
July 17, Mariefreds Church. "Jussi Björling in Our Hearts". Memorial concert with Ulrika Tenstam (mezzo) & Mats Carlsson (ten); Suzanne Kroon-Hahr (piano).
 
July 28, Stockholm, Concert Hall. Jussi Björling memorial concert with Michael Weinius (ten) & Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, cond. Tobias Ringborg.
 
July 29, Gagnef Church, Dalarna. "In memory of JB". Concert by Patrik Sandin (bar) & Ann-Sofi Klingberg (piano).
 
August 3, Rättvik Church. Jussi Björling memorial concert by Raymond Björling (ten), who also talks about his grandfather.
 
August 5, Kopparberg, Opera på Skäret. Jussi Björling memorial concert with tenors Stuart Neill & Kristian Benedikt, sopranos Sandra Lopez & Yana Klein, chorus & orchestra; Marcello Mottadelli & Erik Jakobsson (dir).
 
August 6, Ljusterö, Kyrkan. "Jussi Björling Memorial: An Evening "At Sea" with the Community's Great Son".
 
August 11, Gnesta, Elghammar. JB memorial concert by Mats Carlsson (ten) & musicians from Scenkonst Sörmland.
 
August 13, Stockholm, Skansen, Solliden. JB memorial concert with tenors Gwyn Hughes Jones, Joachim Bäckström & Markus Pettersson.
 
August 13, Linköping Castle, Courtyard. "Jussi Lives!" Memorial concert with Karl-Magnus Fredriksson (bar) & Östergötland Symphonic Wind Band.
 
August 14, Strängnäs, Mälsåker Palace. JB memorial concert by Mats Carlsson (ten) & musicians from Scenkonst Sörmland.
 

Other memories

 

Stockholm Alley Named after Jussi Björling

On 10 March 1998, one of the two alleys in the central Stockholm park Kungsträdgården was officially named ”Jussi Björlings Allé” (Jussi Björling Alley), following a decision on 16 February by the City Council. This alley has an end near the Royal Opera House and the Jussi Björling bust by Pieter de Monchy which was placed in the adjacent square Jacobs Torg in 1994.
 
After the signposts had been set up, Jussi’s widow Anna-Lisa, his children Lars, Ann-Charlotte and Kickie, his grandson Raymond and members of the Scandinavian Jussi Björling Society gathered at the nearby restaurant Victoria. Among those present was the tenor Ragnar Ulfung, who had on the preceding day celebrated his 40th anniversary as an opera artist. Lars and Raymond joined in singing ”För dig allén”, the Swedish version of ”For You Alone”, one of the popular songs in Jussi Björling’s repertoire. There was a special reason that this song was chosen: the Swedish words ”För dig allén” happen to have a double meaning, not only ”For You Alone” but also ”For You the Alley”!
 
No street or place in Stockholm, where Jussi Björling lived from 1928 when he began his education as an opera singer to his death in 1960, has earlier been named after him. However, there are other examples in Sweden, among them Jussi Björlings Väg (JB Road) and Jussi Björlings Torg (JB Square) in Borlänge and Jussi Björlings Plats (JB Square) in Gothenburg.
 

Jussi Björling on a Swedish stamp

In 1999, Jussi Björling was for the first time represented on a Swedish stamp (already in 1975, he appeared in the Nicaraguan series "Grandes Cantantes de Opera).
 
The new stamp, issued on 11 March, is in rectangular format and shows on the left the Swedish jazz singer Alice Babs (b. 1924). One of her films was "Resan till dej" (The Journey to You) 1953, where Jussi also took part. On the right, Jussi Björling is shown during his recital on 28 July 1960 at the Gröna Lund amusement park in Stockholm, his last appearance there.
 
This stamp is generally sold in a booklet with nine others, but at the museum separate stamps are available at the price of 5 SEK. The ten stamps with different motives constitute a series called "Vårt nittonhundratal 2" (Our 20th Century 2). The price for the booklet is 50 SEK.

Jussi Björling Tenor Competition

The Jussi Björling Tenor Competition was held for the first time in Borlänge in 1994. 125 tenors from 38 countries entered their names for the competition. At the finals in the Kupolen Arena on 23 October, the Chinese Deng Xiao-Jun won before the Welshman Gwyn Hughes Jones.
 
The event was an artistic success and it was originally thought to be repeated in 1997 or 1998. These plans have been revised but the City of Borlänge still hopes to arrange another Jussi Björling Tenor Competition in the future.

 

New website for the Jussi Björling Society

We would like to wish you a warm welcome to the Jussi Björlingsällskapet's new website: www.jussibjorlingsallskapet.se Here you are given good opportunities to delve into the life and work of the singer Jussi Björling. But this website will just be in Swedish.

The old website: www.jussibjorlingsallskapet.com, which you are reading now, will remain as a comprehensive archive and will be able to be visited as usual and you can read it in English, click on the British flag.

The new website is intended to be a more up-to-date place for current information from August 2023. 

 

The Jussi Björling Society

The Jussi Björling Society was founded on January 7, 1989. Its task is to promote interest in and spread knowledge about Jussi Björling, his vocal art, life and career.

More about The Society


Join the Society

HERE you can quickly become a member of The Jussi Björling Society. You will receive our magazine, newsletters and invitations to events and gatherings. The annual fee for 2022 is 275 SEK.

More about the membership


Welcome to the American and British Jussi Björling Societies 

 

Please click the banner.

 

 


Jussi Favourites of the Board Members

Hans Thunström presents his favourite recording.

Read about and listen to the favourite


The former Jussi

Björling Museum

Jussi Björling Museet

The museum officially closed on January 1, 2021 and is now vacant. We hope that it will later be replaced by a museum in another location.