Hjalmar Frey by Photography of Imperial Theatres in Mariinsky Theatre

HJALMAR FREY
(Johann Hjalmar Frey)
(28 November 1856-1 Jnauary 1913)
Finnish Bass Baritone
He studied singing in Milan under Francesco Lamperti and Silvia della Valle and continued his study in Vienna and Leipzig . In 1880 he made his debut at the Opera House of Trieste. Appeared at the Rom Apollo Theatre 1881-1882 as a soloist singing with the russian choir. On 22. 3. 1882 he appeared in the premiere of G. Donizetti’s opera ‘’Il Duca d'Alba’’. From 1884 to 1885 he perfected his vocal technique under R. Müller in Leipzig and then became a member of the Court Opera of St. Petersburg, singing here till 1905. At the St. Petersburg Court Opera he performed in the premieres of two important operas by P. Tshaikovsky: on 19. 10. 1890 in "The Queen of Spades", on 18. 12. 1892 in ‘’Iolanta’’. Later he lived in Helsinki. There he was active since 1909 as a choirmaster of the church of the Swedish Lutheran municipality.