Swedish Baritone Luthando Qave has been awarded the 2026 Birgit Nilsson Stipendium worth approximately € 23000). Bengt Hall, Chairman of the Foundation for the Birgit Nilsson Stipendium said: « With his fresh and youthful voice, Luthando Qave displays a remarkable baritone quality. »

Born and raised during apartheid in South Africa, Qave began singing with Cape Town Opera and made his European debut touring Sweden in Porgy and Bess. He moved to Stockholm in 2008 to study at the University College of Opera, and continued at the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program in New York, before returning to Sweden to further pursue his onstage career.       ­

Now a Swedish citizen, Qave performs regularly at opera houses such as the Royal Swedish Opera, Gothenburg Opera and Norrlandsoperan.