Ensembles, Artists and Artistic Leadership
Famous singers who originally were (or still are) part of the opera's ensemble are Jussi Björling, Gösta Winbergh, Nicolai Gedda, Peter Mattei, Jenny Lind, Birgit Nilsson, Elisabeth Söderström, Anne Sofie von Otter, Katarina Dalayman and Nina Stemme.
The orchestra of the Royal Swedish Opera, the Kungliga Hovkapellet, dates back to 1526. Royal housekeeping accounts from 1526 mention twelve musicians including wind players and a timpanist but no string players. Consequently, the Kungliga Hovkapellet is one of the oldest orchestras in Europe.
The Royal Swedish Ballet, Kungliga Baletten, was founded by Gustav III of Sweden in 1773.
The current General Manager of the Royal Swedish Opera is the Swedish mezzo soprano Birgitta Svendén. In November 2011, the Dutch conductor Lawrence Renes was named the next chief conductor of the company, as of the 2012-2013 season, with an initial contract through the 2016-2017 season.
Read more about this topic: Royal Swedish Opera
Famous quotes containing the words artists, artistic and/or leadership:
“When ... did the word “temperament” come into fashion with us?... whatever it stands for, it long since became a great social asset for women, and a great social excuse for men. Perhaps it came in when we discovered that artists were human beings.”
—Katharine Fullerton Gerould (1879–1944)
“Few artists can afford artistic temperament.”
—Mason Cooley (b. 1927)
“Nature, we are starting to realize, is every bit as important as nurture. Genetic influences, brain chemistry, and neurological development contribute strongly to who we are as children and what we become as adults. For example, tendencies to excessive worrying or timidity, leadership qualities, risk taking, obedience to authority, all appear to have a constitutional aspect.”
—Stanley Turecki (20th century)