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Kim BorgFinnish opera bass singer, composer and music teacher
Date of Birth: 07.08.1919
Country:  Finland |
Content:
Biography of Kim Borg
Kim Borg was a Finnish opera singer, bass, composer, and music educator. He had a powerful, resonant, and warm voice. He was born on August 7, 1919, in Helsinki, Finland.
Education and Training
Borg studied vocal performance under the guidance of Heikki Teittinen at the Sibelius Academy from 1936 to 1941 and from 1945 to 1947. He also studied music theory and composition with violinist and conductor Leo Funtek and renowned Finnish composer Aarre Merikanto. Additionally, during the same period, Borg pursued a degree in biochemistry at Helsinki University of Technology and graduated in 1946.
Career
In 1947, Borg made his official concert debut as a young bass in Helsinki. In 1951, he made his official operatic debut as Colline in "La bohème" in Aarhus. Throughout his career, Borg regularly appeared on the opera stages in Helsinki, Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Hamburg. In October 1959, he debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City as Count Almaviva and remained in the company until 1962. In 1961, he sang the lead role in "Boris Godunov" in Moscow.
Teaching and Composing
In addition to his performing career, Borg served as a professor at the Royal Danish Conservatory in Copenhagen from 1972 to 1989. He published several books and composed orchestral works, including two symphonies and a trombone concerto. He also composed chamber music and songs, and prepared orchestrations for works by Mussorgsky and Hugo Wolf.
Discography
Borg left behind an extensive discography, including recordings of his performances as Abner in Carl Nielsen's opera "Saul og David", Shigolch in "Lulu", Shchelkalov in "Boris Godunov", and Sarastro in "Die Zauberflöte". He also recorded Mozart's "Requiem", Beethoven's "Missa Solemnis", Rossini and Dvořák's "Stabat Mater", Haydn's "The Creation", Edward Elgar's "The Dream of Gerontius", and Verdi's "Requiem". Borg participated in the recording of Mussorgsky's vocal cycle "Songs and Dances of Death".
Legacy
Kim Borg passed away on April 28, 2000, at the age of 80, in Humlebæk, Denmark. He left behind a rich legacy of recordings and contributions to the world of opera and music education.
