Borghild Lindvig Bryhn-Langaard (Soprano) (23.7.1883 Kongsvinger (Norwegen), † 20.11.1939 Oslo)

She studied singing under Nina Grieg, the wife of the composer Edvard Grieg. She made her debut in 1906 in a concert in Oslo opposite Edvard Grieg as a pianist and appeared there in 1907 at  the National  Theater in the opera ‘’Sjömandesbruden’’. Then she went to London, where she became a pupil of Raimund von zur Mühlen. In the 1907-1908 season she appeared at the Covent Garden in London as Brünnhilde in the unforgettable première of ‘’Der Ring des Nibelungen’’ under Hans Richter. She also sang the part of Santuzza in ‘’Cavalleria Rusticana’’. In 1909 she successfully guested at the Royal Opera in Stockholm. In 1910 she performed at the Vienna Court Opera as Santuzza and Aida. In 1913 at Amsterdam she appeared as  Venus in ‘’Tannhäuser’’.  She also made  guest appearances in Milan and Budapest (here as Venus in ‘’Tannhäuser’’). In 1914 she sang at the Copenhagen Opera the parts of Tosca and Elsa in ‘’Lohengrin’’. In 1919, as a partner of Alessandro Bonci, she performed at the Chicago Opera as Amelia in ‘’Ballo in maschera’’. Since 1920 she lived in her Norwegian native country, where she still gave a concerts and single guest performances. During the 1920’s she still appeared in Scandinavian operatic stages. At Milan she guested as Borghild Brunelli.

Chronology of some appearances

1907 National  Theater Sjömandesbruden (-)

1907 London Covent Garden Der Ring des Nibelungen (Brunhilde)

1908 London Covent Garden Cavalleria Rusticana (Santuzza)

1910 Vienna Court Opera Cavalleria Rusticana (Santuzza)

1910 Vienna Court Opera Aida (Aida)

1913 Amsterdam Opera  Tannhäuser (Venus)

1914 Copenhagen Opera Tosca (Tosca)

1914 Copenhagen Opera Lohengrin (Elsa)

1919 Chicago Opera Ballo in maschera (Amelia)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE 

Pathé, London 1907?
Tannhäuser (Wagner): Lied der Elisabeth 77198
Fliegende Holländer (Wagner): Ballde der Senta 77201
Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): Voi lo sapete 77205
Ave Maria (Gounod) 77207

Gramophone, London 1908-06-12 
Astri, mi Astri (trad) 83649 8455e
Peer Gynt (Grieg): Solveigs sang 83648 8453e 
Synnøves sang (Kjerulf) 83667  8454e
Sæterjentens søndag (Bull) 83650 8457e

Johan Hjalmar Frey (Bass/Baritone) (28. marraskuuta 1856 Viipuri – 11. tammikuuta 1913 Helsinki)

He studied singing in Milan under Francesco Lamperti and Silvia della Valle. In 1880 he made his debut at the Opera House of Trieste. On 22. 3. 1882 he appeared in the premiere of G. Donizetti’s opera ‘’Il Duca d'Alba’’. From  1884 to 1885 he perfected his vocal technique under R. Müller in Leipzig and then became a member of the Court Opera of St. Petersburg, singing here till 1905. At the St. Petersburg Court Opera he performed in the premieres of two important operas by P. Tshaikovsky: on 19. 10. 1890 in "The Queen of Spades", on 18. 12. 1892 in ‘’Iolanta’’. Later he lived in Helsinki. There he was active since 1909 as a choirmaster of the church of the Swedish Lutheran municipality.

Chronology of some appearances

1880 Trieste Opera House

1881 Roma Teatro Apollo

1882 Roma Teatro Costanzi

1885-1905 St. Petersburg Court Opera 

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Zonophone, St Petersburg 1901/1902
Molitva (Prayer) (Bulakhov) X-62335

G&T, St Petersburg 1903
Rigoletto (Verdi): Quartett with Vladina, Maximovskaya & Bogdanovitch 24339 1427z
Na sever dikom (Dargomyszki) with Vladina & Bogdanovitch 24329 1428z
Der Asra (Rubinstein) 2-42771 1404z
Der öde Garten (Hermann) 2-42136 1331c
In der Fremde (Schumann) 2-42137 1333c
Es muß ein wunderbares sein (Liszt) 2-42134 1329c
Litanei (Schubert) 2-42820 1403z
Viele Träume (Sinding) 2-42135 1330c
Ein grünes Blatt (Nunnius) 2-42772 1406z
Geheimnis (Weidenbrück) 2-42138 1332c
Es war ein alter König (Weidenbrück) 2-42786 1407z
Mittagsstille (Weidenbrück) 2-42821 1405z
Laps' Suomen (O barn af Hellas) (Pacius) 2-22559 1357z

G&T, St Petersburg 1905
Till trånaden (Söderberg) 82910 2778L
Var det en dröm (Benzon) 82906 2773L
Värme och ljus (Josephson) 82908 2775L
Wanderers Nachtlied (Collan) 3-42186 2777L

Gramophone, St Petersburg 1908-09
Tuoll' laulaa neitonen (Im Feld ein Mädchen singt) (Sibelius) 2-82698 7720L

Pathé, St Petersburg? 1910
Gluntarne (Wennerberg): Gluntens moster with Bäckman 27039 
Gluntarne (Wennerberg): Hulda skymning with Bäckman 27042

Mercedes Farry (Soprano)

She had a notable career in Spain in major zarzuela and operatic roles (such as Ophelia in Thomas’Hamlet). She made her U.S. debut in 1922 in concert at Aeolian Hall, NYC. One critic indicated that the coloratura arias were “exceedingly well sung” and that “Mme. Farry exhibited coloratura abilities of a high order. Her scales were sung with admirable clarity”.

Chronology of some appearances

1922 U. S. Aeolian Hall Concert

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Gramophone, Barcelona 1915-11-12
El Maestro Campanone (Mazza): 63814 19191u
Hijas del Zebedeo (Chapí): Romanza 63815 19192u

Gramophone, Barcelona 1916-01-10

Marina (Arrieta): Por dios with Jose Palet Unpubl. 03090v

Gramophone, Barcelona 16-1-13

Marina (Arrieta): Terceto with Jose Palet and Inocencio Navarro 064127 03093v