Carl Stenborg
Encyclopedia
Carl Stenborg was a Swedish opera
singer, actor, composer and theatre director. He is considered the first great male opera singer in Sweden and one of the pioneers of the Royal Swedish Opera
.
, to actor Petter Stenborg
, director ot the Stenborg Troupe
, and Anna Krüger (1710-1803). Of his brothers, Johan Fredrik Stenborg (1743-1813) studied at Uppsala University
and became an official, and Nils Stenborg (d.1780) became an opera singer. He received a good education, better than his father's, debuted as a concert singer in Riddarhuset in 1766 and was appointed councillor at the royal court in 1767. This was considered unusual, since his father was poor. Carl's mother had been the housekeeper of the nobleman and statesman Adam Horn, with whom it was said that he had had a relationship, and that Carl, or one of his brothers, was his son, which was to be the reason to why the son's of a poor man had ben able to receive such a good education and reach high positions so early in life.
When the Royal Swedish Opera was founded in 1773, he played the main male role in Francesco Uttini
's opera Thetis och Pélée opposite the primadonna Elisabeth Olin
, with whom he had a relationship. He was the leading male star for several years and in 1780 was given a life contract. Although he sang tenor
roles, his voice was known for its dexterity and dark timbre
and was nearer to that of a baritone
.
Carl Stenborg was appointed Hovsångare
in 1773, royal secretary in 1782 and was elected to the Royal Swedish Academy of Music
in 1783. He was the director of his father's theatres in 1780-99; from 1788, he was allowed to perform in them. He was in 1782 engaged and in 1793 married to the singer Betty Olin, daughter of Elisabeth Olin, and performed with her in Copenhagen
and Oslo
in 1794 and 1795. The engagement had been long because of the unvillingness of Elisabeth Olin to give her consent to the marriage between her daughter and former lover. In 1784 Stenborg's opera
Gustaf Ericsson i Dalarna premiered at one of his father's theaters. After the Stenborg Theatre
was closed in 1799, he toured the country (1804-09) with his own company. He was given a pension in 1806. He gave his last performance at a concert on Riddarhuset 27 Februari 1808, "to the great surprise of everyone" opposite Elisabeth Olin, which now also gave her last performance, and Jeanette Wässelius
, with music of the royal chapell, Johann Christian Friedrich Hæffner
, Freidrich Müller and his own daughter, the pianist Carolina Stenborg (1798-1869). He died in Stockholm.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
singer, actor, composer and theatre director. He is considered the first great male opera singer in Sweden and one of the pioneers of the Royal Swedish Opera
Royal Swedish Opera
Kungliga Operan is Sweden's national stage for opera and ballet.-Location and Environment:...
.
Biography
Carl Stenborg was born in StockholmStockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, to actor Petter Stenborg
Petter Stenborg
Petter Stenborg was a Swedish actor and theater director who played an important role of the continuation of the native speaking theater in Sweden...
, director ot the Stenborg Troupe
Stenborg Troupe
The Stenborg troupe was a Swedish Theatre Comedy troupe, active in Sweden and Finland in the 18th century. It was also called Stenborgska skådebanorna , Svenska komeditruppen and Svenska Comedien or Svenska Teatern...
, and Anna Krüger (1710-1803). Of his brothers, Johan Fredrik Stenborg (1743-1813) studied at Uppsala University
Uppsala University
Uppsala University is a research university in Uppsala, Sweden, and is the oldest university in Scandinavia, founded in 1477. It consistently ranks among the best universities in Northern Europe in international rankings and is generally considered one of the most prestigious institutions of...
and became an official, and Nils Stenborg (d.1780) became an opera singer. He received a good education, better than his father's, debuted as a concert singer in Riddarhuset in 1766 and was appointed councillor at the royal court in 1767. This was considered unusual, since his father was poor. Carl's mother had been the housekeeper of the nobleman and statesman Adam Horn, with whom it was said that he had had a relationship, and that Carl, or one of his brothers, was his son, which was to be the reason to why the son's of a poor man had ben able to receive such a good education and reach high positions so early in life.
When the Royal Swedish Opera was founded in 1773, he played the main male role in Francesco Uttini
Francesco Uttini
Francesco Antonio Baldassare Uttini was an Italian composer and conductor who was active mostly in Sweden....
's opera Thetis och Pélée opposite the primadonna Elisabeth Olin
Elisabeth Olin
Elisabeth Olin was a Swedish opera singer and a music composer. She is referred to as the first Swedish Opera prima donna. She was a court-singer . She was the first female member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music...
, with whom he had a relationship. He was the leading male star for several years and in 1780 was given a life contract. Although he sang tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
roles, his voice was known for its dexterity and dark timbre
Timbre
In music, timbre is the quality of a musical note or sound or tone that distinguishes different types of sound production, such as voices and musical instruments, such as string instruments, wind instruments, and percussion instruments. The physical characteristics of sound that determine the...
and was nearer to that of a baritone
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
.
Carl Stenborg was appointed Hovsångare
Hovsångare
Hovsångare , literally Court Singer, is a title awarded by the Swedish monarch to a singer who, by their vocal art, has contributed to the international standing of Swedish singing. The formal title was introduced by King Gustav III of Sweden in 1773, with the first recipients being Elisabeth Olin...
in 1773, royal secretary in 1782 and was elected to the Royal Swedish Academy of Music
Royal Swedish Academy of Music
The Royal Swedish Academy of Music or Kungl. Musikaliska Akademien, founded in 1771 by King Gustav III, is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden...
in 1783. He was the director of his father's theatres in 1780-99; from 1788, he was allowed to perform in them. He was in 1782 engaged and in 1793 married to the singer Betty Olin, daughter of Elisabeth Olin, and performed with her in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
and Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
in 1794 and 1795. The engagement had been long because of the unvillingness of Elisabeth Olin to give her consent to the marriage between her daughter and former lover. In 1784 Stenborg's opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
Gustaf Ericsson i Dalarna premiered at one of his father's theaters. After the Stenborg Theatre
Stenborg Theatre
The Stenborg theatre, also called Svenska Komiska Teatern, Komiska Teatern and Munkbroteatern, was a historical Swedish 18th century theatre, active between 1784 and 1799 in Gamla stan in Stockholm. It was the second theatre of Stockholm during the Gustavian age...
was closed in 1799, he toured the country (1804-09) with his own company. He was given a pension in 1806. He gave his last performance at a concert on Riddarhuset 27 Februari 1808, "to the great surprise of everyone" opposite Elisabeth Olin, which now also gave her last performance, and Jeanette Wässelius
Jeanette Wässelius
Marie Jeanette Wässelius, commonly known as Wässelia or Mamsell Wässelia, , was a Swedish opera singer, court singer and actress, the leading prima donna of the Swedish Opera during the Napoleonic age in the first decades of the 19th century and sister of the international opera star Justina Casagli...
, with music of the royal chapell, Johann Christian Friedrich Hæffner
Johann Christian Friedrich Hæffner
Johann Christian Friedrich Hæffner was a German-born Swedish composer.Hæffner received his first musical education with the Schmalkalden organist Johann Gottfried Vierling. He studied in Leipzig from 1776, and then worked as a music conductor in theatres in Frankfurt am Main and Hamburg 1778-1780...
, Freidrich Müller and his own daughter, the pianist Carolina Stenborg (1798-1869). He died in Stockholm.