Ivar Hallström

Ivar Christian Hallström (5 June 1826 – 11 April 1901) was a Swedish composer, particularly of opera.^[1]

Ivar Hallström

Life

Hallström was born and died in Stockholm. Although he learnt the piano, he was self-taught as a composer. He studied law in Uppsala and in 1853 was appointed librarian to Prince Oscar which assisted him in advancing his career as a composer. His operas in collaboration with the librettist Frans Hedberg launched his operatic career, where he was particularly able to use Swedish folk tunes effectively.^[1] Hallström introduced a flavour of Gallic wit into his light operas, many of them based on French libretti.^[2] Fourteen operatic works survive.

He was one of the founding members of Sällskapet Idun, a men's association founded in Stockholm in 1862.^[3]

After many years neglect, Hallström’s operas were revived, in Umeå in 1986 with Bergtagna, seen also at the York Early Music Festival in 1988,^[1] Hertig Magnus at Vadstena in 1988 and 2000, also broadcast on Swedish television,^[4] and Liten Karin in 1997, also at Vadstena, with Malena Ernman as Princess Cecilia.^[5]

Compositions

• Hertig Magnus och sjöjungfrun (Duke Magnus and the mermaid) – romantic operetta
• Mjölnarvargen (after Le diable au moulin by Eugène Cormon and Michel Carré) - operetta
• Den bergtagna (The bride of the mountain king) – romantic opera
• Vikingarne (The Vikings) – romantic opera
• Neaga - opera
• Per Svinaherde (Peter the swineherd) – fairy play
• Ett äfventyr i Skottland (An Adventure in Scotland) - ballet in two acts
• En dröm (A dream) - ballet in one act