Ivar Hallström

Ivar Hallström

Ivar Christian Hallström, born Stockholm, 5 June 1826, died in that city on 11 April 1901 was a Swedish composer, particularly of opera.^[1] After many years neglect, Hallström’s operas were revived, in Umeå in 1986 with Bergtagna, seen also in York in 1988,^[1] and Hertig Magnus at Vadstena in 1988 and 2000, also broadcast on Swedish television.^[2]

Life

Although he learnt the piano, Hallström was self-taught as a composer. He studied law in Uppsala and in 1853 was appointed librarian to Prince Oscar which assisted him in advancing his career as a composer. His operas in collaboration with the librettist Frans Hedberg launched his operatic career, where he was particularly able to use Swedish folk tunes effectively.^[1] Hallström introduced a flavour of Gallic wit into his light operas, many of them based on French libretti.^[3] Fourteen operatic works survive.

Compositions

• Hertig Magnus och sjöjungfrun (Duke Magnus and the mermaid) – romantic operetta
• Mjölnarvargen (after Le diable au moulin by Eugène Cormon and Michel Carré) - operetta
• Den bergtagna (The bride of the mountain king) – romantic opera
• Vikingarne (The Vikings) – romantic opera
• Neaga - opera
• Per Svinaherde (Peter the swineherd) – fairy play
• Ett äfventyr i Skottland (An Adventure in Scotland) - ballet in two acts
• En dröm (A dream) - ballet in one act

References

1. Wiklund A. Ivar Christian Hallström. In: The New Grove Dictionary of Opera. Macmillan, London and New York, 1997.
2. List of productions at Vadstena
3. Horton J. Scandinavian Music: A Short History. Faber, London, 1963.

External links

• Free scores by Ivar Hallström at the International Music Score Library Project