The Nineteenth Jussi Concert at Voxna Church
Ensemble 2019. From left: Lennart Eng, Lena Rieback, Bengt Krantz, Karin Mobacke, Per Lindström and Sabina Bisholt
With the old team in charge: Stefan Olmårs as compere, Lennart Eng at the concert grand, his daughter Maria turning the sheets and Lena Rieback as pianist for the local artist, the nineteenth Jussi Concert took place at Voxna Church on Monday 8 July. Jussi himself opened the proceedings gramophone wise with Sven Salén’s “Visa kring slånblom och månskära”, whereupon Bengt Krantz made his entrance with Idabelle Firestone’s “If I could tell you”, as an introduction to this year’s Prize Winner Per Lindström, who received the prize amounting to 60 000 SEK and an Orrefors vase, after Bengt had read his well-formulated statement of reasons for the prize. Per thanked for the prize by singing Sjöberg’s “Tonerna”.
Sabina Bisholt, a new rising star on the soprano firmament, opened with Sibelius’s dramatic setting of Runeberg’s Flickan kom ifrån sin älsklings mote” and Hugo Alfvén’s Så tag mitt hjerte”. After that Per sang Oronte’s aria from Verdi’s early opera “I Lombardi” with glow and after that “En fermant les yeux” from Massenet’s “Manon” with fine legato. Young Karin Mobacke was introduced in the programme leaf as “promising soprano” but she turned out to be fully fledged, which she demonstrated through excellent readings of Rangström’s “Pan” and Lindblad’s humoristic “En ung flickas morgonbetraktelse”. Bengt returned with an excerpt from the Triumphal Scene from “Aïda”, Amonasro’s entrance, Sabina sang “Vilja Lied” from “The Merry Widow” and “O mio babbino caro” from Puccini’s “Gianni Schicchi”. More Puccini, this time Per with two tenor gems: “E lucevan le stele” from “Tosca” and the unavoidable “Che gelida manina” from “La bohème” – the latter with a secure high C.
And then, time for the encores! Karin had chosen Susanna’s aria from the third act of “Le nozze di Figaro”, Bengt sang with great insight the inward declaration of love “Min älskling, du är som en ros” by Evert Taube, where Lennart heated the tango rhythms in a swinging interlude. Bengt and Per then sang together the famous duet from “Les pêcheurs de perles” and Sabina performed Mimi’s aria from “La bohème”. For the grand finale Per joined her in the love duet from the same opera.
Presents to the artists and then, in accordance with tradition, everybody sang in unison “Land, du välsignade”.
After the supper at Voxnabruk manor, Sören Tranberg, editor in chief of OPERA Magazine, interviewed Sabina, who due to other assignments had to leave early. “Spisa Jussi” (Diggin’ Jussi) rounded off the evening with Harald Henrysson as DJ. The following morning Sören had a conversation with veteran Bengt and newcomer Per, after which Sören remembered Rolf Björling, Jussi’s son, and his career, illustrated with well-chosen sound clips, most of them from live recordings.
Text och foto av Göran Forsling
More images (photo Hans Thunström):
Church is opening
Per Lindström is rewarded by Bengt Krantz
Sabina Bisholt
Karin Mobacke
Bengt Krantz and Per Lindström in the Pearl Fishers Duet
Per Lindström and Sabina Bisholt in O soave fanciulla
O soave fanciulla ends behind the stage
The concert ends with all singing Land, du välsignade
Sabina Bisholt is surprised behind the stage
Karin Mobacke is not surprised
The church hill after the concert
Sponsor Stefan Sundh with Karin Perers and chairman Beng Krantz with Maria Hegborn
The artists are dining
Per Lindström in front of the Voxnabruk Mansion
Idyllic Voxnabruk
The Mansion
Niklas Lindblad, Kerstin and Göran Forsling. Behind them waxworks of Rolf Björling and Jussi
Sören Tranberg is interviewing Sabina Bisholt
Harald Henrysson presenting Jussi