Music: Norwegian Nightingale

"Everybody's another Flagstad when I'm being told about her," grumbled the Philadelphia Orchestra's Eugene Ormandy. But after listening to recordings, he hired Norwegian Soprano Aase Nordmo-Lövberg, sight unseen. Last week Soprano Lövberg, 34, a statuesque blonde, appeared in Philadelphia's Academy of Music for her American debut. Despite a deep chest cold, she sang a challenging program of arias from Beethoven's Fidelio and Wagnerian selections. Soprano Lövberg proved to be a sort of Flagstad in miniature, more lyric than dramatic, with a round, pure and rangy voice. Said Conductor Ormandy: "One of the...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!