Kim Borg

The Finnish bass, teacher and composer Kim Borg (born August 7, 1919 in Helsinki - died April 28, 2000 in Humlebæk, Denmark) studied voice with Heikki Teittinen at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki (1936-1941 and 1945-1947), where he also received training in theory and composition with Leo Funtek and Aarre Merikanto, and then pursued vocal studies with Andrejewa de Skilondz in Stockholm (1950-1959). He also studied biochemistry at the Helsinki University of Technology, receiving a diploma in 1946.

In 1947 he made his formal concert debut in Helsinki, and in 1951 his formal operatic debut in Århus as Colline in La bohème. In addition to his concert appearances, he sang regularly in opera in Helsinki and Copenhagen (1952-1970), Stockholm (1963-1975), and Hamburg (1964-1970). In October 1959 he made his Metropolitan Opera debut in New York as Count Almaviva, remaining on its roster until 1962. In 1961 he appeared as Boris Godunov in Moscow.

He retired from stage in 1980. From 1972 to 1989 he was a professor at the Royal Danish Conservatory of Music in Copenhagen. He published several books, wrote orchestral compositions, chamber music, a Stabat Mater, and songs. He also prepared orchestrations to compositions of Mussorgsky and Wolf.

In addition to Boris Godunov, he also had success in such roles as Osmin, Don Giovanni, King Marke, Hans Sachs, Don Carlos, Pimen, Gremin, Rossini’s Don Basilio, and Debussy’s Arkel.

From Gramophone obituary (July 2000): “He had wide-ranging, resonant, warm voice and appreciable artistry”.

Voice sample

* [http://ra.yle.fi/ramgen/radioarkisto/laulajat/Kim_Borg.rm Kim Borg performing Franz Schubert's lied Litanei (1952)] - (RealAudio -tiedosto)