Swedish soprano Matilda Sterby has been named this year’s Birgit Nilsson Stipendium artist. She will receive 250.000 Swedish Crowns (c. 21.500 Euros). Matilda Sterby completed her studies at the Stockholm Academy of Opera, she sang or will sing at Gothenburg Opera, Malmö Opera, Volksoper Wien. Karlsruhe, Hannover and Klagenfurt.
The Birgit Nilsson Stipendium was created in memory of Birgit’s first teacher, Ragnar Blennow, who played an influential role in her early years as an aspiring singer. First presented by Birgit herself in 1973, the Stipendium has supported 47 young Swedish singers over the last 50 years, including artists such as Hillevi Martinpelto, Nina Stemme, Anna Larsson, John Lundgren and Malin Byström.