Back to Sweden

An ambitious and artistically intriguing project is coming to a close on June 13th as "From Sweden" presents its final concert. This series of live performances marked 350 years of friendship between Sweden and England with two complete seasons of Swedish music in London. For 14 month, artists from both sides of the Channel have been treating audiences to a wide range of styles and categories, immersing deep into folklore and discovering modern compositions to boot (only a mere month ago, Mats Lidström world-premiered Rolf Martinssons Cello Concerto). Lena Willemark and Anne Sophie von Otter will be two of the stars (among them a few surprises) leading the audience through the farewell-night, a gala evening of English and Swedish song in the Wigmore Hall. The absolute highlight should be the rendering of "Serenade to Music" by sixteen singers from both nations.

But we are especially looking forward to Lena Willemarks performance. Willemark is one of the few stars to be able to go down the path of Traditional/Classical music and Jazz without slipping. Her albums on ECM, BIS and other labels have delicately brought the music of Swedish medieval times to the hearts of many. It will therefore be with a smile and a tear that one sees "From Sweden" go - only few have managed to be both creative and touching.

Homepage: From Sweden