Agust Olafsson (2006)

Agust Olafsson (2006), baritone, has performed the three great Schubert cycles, Die Schöne Müllerin, Winterreise and Schwanengesang, in Reykjavik in 2010-11, and he has received the Icelandic Best Musician of the Year award for those performances. He is a star at Icelandic Opera, Reykjavik, where he performed Nick Shadow in The Rake's Progress, Germont in La Traviata and Harlekin in Ariadne auf Naxos. His interpretation of the role of Belcore in L'elisir d'amore in 2009 was awarded the Icelandic Theater Award (Griman) as Best Singer of the Year. In 2008, the composer Sveinsson chose Agust to premiere his Fourth Symphony in Reykjavik with the Icelandic Symphony, and he has made a recording called "Aldarblik," Icelandic songs of the 20th century. He was invited to sing in a concert celebrating the life of Elisabeth Schwarzkopf at Wigmore Hall, London, in 2007. He is mentioned on the blog Barihunks (http://barihunks.blogspot.com/2009/03).

"The pupil must read the words of the piece again and again till each finest shadow of meaning has been mastered. He must next recite them with perfect simplicity and self-abandonment. The accent of truth apparent in the voice when speaking naturally is the basis of expression in singing. Light and shade, accent, sentiment, all become eloquent and persuasive. The imitation of instinctive impulse must, therefore, be the object of this special preparation."

-Manuel Garcia, Hints on Singing