A very satisfactory turnout of around 140 people (double last year’s) at the June 7 Jenny Lind concert was the result of the efforts of CNS member Costa Kapsalis, who organized the concert in collaboration with the Swedish Embassy and the CNS. The post-concert reception, provided by the Swedish Embassy, was also very well attended and greatly appreciated.
Norwegian soprano Kine Sandtrø and her Swedish accompanist, Julia Sjöstedt, delivered a delightful and varied program of art songs, Swedish folk songs and favourite operatic arias, finishing the evening with a spirited rendition of I Could Have Danced All Night from “My Fair Lady,” with the enthusiastic participation of the audience.
Ms Sandtrø has a lovely and well-produced dramatic lyric voice capable of considerable power as well as subtlety. Ms Sjöstedt is a fine accompanist and solo performer as revealed by her offering of Molto espressivo, a piece by the Swedish composer, Steinhammer (1871 -1927). Indeed, Steinhammer figured large in this program as one of the most interesting songs in this concert was his version of Flickan kom ifrån sin älsklings möte (The Tryst), a song based on a poem by Runeberg made famous by Sibelius in one of his most emotive and powerful songs. Rarely performed, Steinhammer’s interpretation is more lyrical and subdued than Sibelius’s dramatic masterpiece but is still very compelling!
(Thank you to Astrid Ahlgren for the photo!)