Set Svanholm


[Image:Set Svanholm Advertisement.jpg|thumb|200px|Set Svanholm in an advertisement by his agent, William L. Stein, for the 1946-1947 season in New York.]
Set Svanholm was a Swedish operatic tenor, considered the leading Tristan and Siegfried of the first decade following World War II.

Life and career

Svanholm began his musical career at 17 as a precentor, elementary school teacher, and organist. He then studied at the Royal University College of Music in Stockholm and took singing lessons from the famous baritone John Forsell, who also taught Aksel Schiøtz and Jussi Björling.
He made his operatic debut as a baritone, singing the role of Silvio in Pagliacci. He sang as a baritone for several years. Then in 1936, after further study, he debuted as a tenor, singing the role of Radamès in Aida. His first Wagnerian tenor roles followed in 1937, along with Lemminkäinen in the premiere of Lars-Erik Larsson's The Princess of Cyprus the same year.
Svanholm sang regularly at the New York Metropolitan Opera, the Vienna State Opera, and The Royal Opera House in London. He became the director of the Royal Swedish Opera in 1956, a post he held until 1963.

Recordings