After an intense week for the participants in this year’s Birgit Nilsson Masterclass, they gave a closing concert on Thursday evening in front of an enthusiastic audience at the Birgit Nilsson hall at Ravinen, Båstad.

After introductory words by Birgit Nilsson Society’s chairman Claes Remminger, six singers – Ola Heinpalu, Isabella Lindström, Antonia Neld, Caroline Ottecan, Jessica Faselt and Hugo Paulsson Stove – performed a varied program of both romances and opera arias, from Werle to Sibelius, Richard Strauss to Puccini. All accompanied by the pianist Elisabeth Boström. Five singers were from Sweden, while the sixth, American Jessica Faselt, had already performed at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.

Under the skilful and inspiring guidance of court singer Hillevi Martinpelto, everyone afterwards confirmed that it had been a very educational week, just before they dispersed to new adventures.