Elisabeth Söderström

about

Elisabeth Anna Söderström CBE (7 May 1927 – 20 November 2009) was a Swedish soprano who performed both opera and song. She was particularly well known for her recordings of the lead soprano roles in the three Janáček operas Jenůfa, Káťa Kabanová, and The Makropoulos Affair, all of which received Gramophone Awards. The Gramophone critic John Warrack described her portrayal of Káťa Kabanová as "establishing by an infinity of subtle touches and discreet, sensitive singing the picture of Káta as the richest and most human character in the drama." Born in Stockholm, Söderström received her first musical schooling from Adelaide von Skilondz and later studied at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm. She made her debut in 1947 at the Drottningholm Palace Theatre singing in one of Mozart's lesser-known works Bastien et Bastienne. From 1949 to 1980 she called the Royal Swedish Opera her home but she frequently appeared at some of the largest opera houses in the world. She was also a regular visitor to the recording studio. Between 1959 and 1964 Söderström was contracted by the Metropolitan Opera in New York to which she would return in 1983-87. Her last stage performance was in 1999 in Tchaikovsky's The Queen of Spades at the Metropolitan Opera. In 1978 she created the role of Amanda/Clitoria in György Ligeti's Le Grand Macabre at the Royal Swedish Opera. During her long career, Söderström made a name for herself as a technically perfect and at the same time warm soprano with a pe

top songs

albums

Rachmaninov: The Songs

Chopin: Songs

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Soderstrom, Elisabeth / Meyer, Kerstin - Duets for Two Sopranos

Mussorgsky: The Nursery, etc

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Rachmaninov: The Songs (3 CDs)

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Janácek: Jenufa

Janácek: The Makropulos Case; Lachian Dances

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Elisabeth Söderstrom: Örhangen (Hits)

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Britten: War Requiem & Bliss: Morning Heroes

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Shostakovich: Symphony No.15 "From Jewish Folk Poetry"

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Classical Music From Mafia & Gangster Movies

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Duets For Two Sopranos

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