
Arvidson Jerker
Soloist, Bass
He was born in Gnarp, Sweden, on 13/11/1939. At first, he worked at the Swedish Postal Service (1957-66). He studied singing in Stockholm with Arne Sunnegaard and Bertil Düring (1966-70). He finished his studies with Clemens Kaiser-Breme, Gerald Moore and Erik Werba. He had been a member of the Swedish Chamber Choir (1961-67). In 1970, he started his professional career as a vocal soloist, in the role of Monterone [Rigoletto], at the Oslo Opera House. In 1971, he was hired at the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm, where he made his first appearence as Count di Luna [Il trovatore]. He performed at the Drottingholm Festival in the roles of Belcore [L’elisir d’ amore] and Publio [La clemenza di Tito]. He has excelled in the roles of Don Giovanni [Don Giovanni], Escamillo [Carmen], Jacopo Fiesco [Simon Boccanegra], Scarpia [Tosca], Mephistopheles [Faust], Lindorf, Coppélius, Le docteur Miracle and Dapertutto [The Tales of Hoffman/Les Contes d'Hoffmann], Barak [The Woman without a Shadow/Die Frau ohne Schatten]. In 1975, he was hailed as a major interpreter of Wagner with his performance as Wotan in The Ring of the Nibelung [Der Ring des Nibelungen], and in 1976 he triumphed in the role of Gunther in Beureuth. He interpreted a total of thirteen Wagnerian roles. At the same time, he was a regular performer at international festivals, and he was participating in concerts as a singer in oratorios. In 1977, he married the Swedish soprano Birgit Nilsson. He died in his home country on 21/2/2007. He collaborated with the GNO in 1982-1983, when he sang in Verdi's Requiem under the conduction of Spyros Argiris. He recorded for the record companies HMV and Caprice.