|
Opera Singer Stefán Islandi (1907 - 1994)
The friendship between the sculptor and the singer can be traced back to their early years as students. On his way to Rome in 1931 Ólafsson stopped over in Milan to look up his friend, who had begun his musical studies in Italy the year before. After a dozen years working in sundry European opera houses Stefán Islandi was contracted to the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen from 1940 onwards. In 1949 he was appointed opera singer to the Danish Court. The war years, when Denmark was closed to the outside world, saw the highlights of his singing career. Thus it was largely a Danish public that was able to hear him in many of the classic opera roles. In 1966 Stefán Islandi returned to Iceland, where he became a highly esteemed teacher at the Reykjavík Conservatory of Music. Sculptor Sigurjón Ólafsson and his Portraits Sigurjón Ólafsson Museum 2008, ISBN 978-87-88755-05-03 |