Swedish bass-baritone Bernhard Sönnerstedt studied with Karl Nygren-Kloster, and later at the Stockholm Academy of Music from 1935 to 1938 (with Joseph Hislop and Julia Claussens). After the war, he also worked with Giuseppe de Luca in Milan.
Sönnerstedt debuted the Royal Opera in Stockholm as Prince Gremin in Eugen Onegin. He went on to sing in both opera and recital throughout Scandinavia. Among his operatic roles were Leporello, Mozart’s Figaro, Mephistopheles in Faust, Escamillo, the four Villains in Hoffmann, and King Philip in Don Carlo.
In 1966, at the Stora Theater, Göteborg, Sönnerstedt appeared as Porgy in the Swedish premiere of Porgy and Bess.
As a recitalist and concert artist, Sönnerstedt toured the Scandinavian countries, England, Italy, France, and Switzerland, and had a high reputation as an interpreter of the works of J.S. Bach.
Bernhard Sönnerstedt was a producer of musical broadcasts at the Swedish Radio, and was later appointed managing director of the Stora Theatre, Göteborg. He passed away in 1971.

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