Jussi Björling: He Sang with a Tear in His Voice
Gregory Berg · Journal of Singing · 2015
Jussi Bjorling: He Sang with a Tear in his Voice. (Kultur D4873; 77:00)Scandinavia has not just blessed the world with with marvelous songs, but also with a host of magnificent singers as well. Jenny Lind, the Nightingale, was one of the most acclaimed and beloved artists of the 19th century. In her wake came such supremely accomplished singers as Christine Nilsson, Lauritz Melchior, Kirsten Flagstad, Helga Rosvaenge, Karin Branzell, Nicholai Gedda, Elisabeth Soderstrom, Martti Talvela, Birgit Nilsson, and Haken Hakengard. In our own day, artists like Soile Isokoski, Karita Mattila, Peter Mattei, Anna Sofie von Otter, Bo Skovhus, Matti Salminen, and Nina Stemme are all but indispensable in the major opera houses of the world. Theirs is a magnificent legacy indeed.Within that rich tradition, no single artist surpasses the stature of the great Swedish tenor Jussi Bjorling. Fifty-five years after his sudden and unexpected death, he remains an unmatched paragon of vocal beauty and elegance among tenors. No less an authority than Dorothy Caruso once emphatically stated that the tenor who most deserved to wear her late husband's mantle of World's Greatest Tenor was Bjorling. Fortunately, the plethora of superb recordings he made throughout his career make a persuasive case; his uncommonly lovely voice, his unassailable vocal technique, and his unfailing musicality are all prominently and emphatically displayed. For once, there is not the slightest doubt of what all of the fuss was about; we can hear it for ourselves and revel in it as though we were among the fortunate fans who experienced his greatness in person.Jussi Bjorling: He Sang with a Tear in his Voice is a documentary that seeks to shed light on this esteemed yet somewhat enigmatic superstar, and reveal at least something of what he was like away from the opera and concert stage. Toward that end, filmmakers Torbjorn Lindqvist and Christer Eklund draw upon the cooperation of Lars, Anders, and Ann-Charlotte Bjorling, three of the tenor's children, as well as Jussi Bjorling's cousin Marta. Also sharing their recollections are such frequent Bjorling collaborators as Kerstin Meyer and Aase NordmoLovberg, who have fascinating insights into the tenor's personality. We also hear from several experts, including the curator of the Jussi Bjorling Museum and several distinguished critics who weigh in on the tenor's place in the operatic firmament.Bjorling himself has a very potent presence in this film. It contains a plethora of photographs that span his entire life, plus a surprising amount of video footage from the prime years of the tenor's career. Certain critical moments in Bjorling's life are shown in dramatic recreations that work fairly well. Most important of all are the many examples of Bjorling's singing, most of which are played in their entirety. A careful balance of opera and art song is offered, although some viewers may wish that the songs were a more varied sampling of his concert repertoire instead of focusing so tightly on the Scandinavian songs that he loved so much. A couple of live video fragments are presented with sound that has been poorly synced; one wishes that the ill conceived attempt had never been made. Much more satisfying are intact performances from The Voice of Firestone that feature Bjorling in Vesti la giubba from I pagliacci, Mattinata, and O soave fanciulla from La boheme with his wife, Anne-Lisa. Bjorling appears a bit ill at ease before the cameras, but sings with more intensity and involvement than one might expect. Perhaps most impressive of all is his performance from a 1958 Swedish telecast in which he sings the art song Till ha vs (To the sea) with soaring beauty and ardency. One can scarcely believe that this spectacular singing is coming from a man with less than two years to live.The film opens with a photographic montage showing Bjorling on vacation with his family. He appears to be a genial, down-to-earth fellow of fairly simple taste. …