Music

Dick O’Riordan’s classical notes: Sweden’s ‘queen of cool’ makes her Dublin debut

Mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter will join the National Symphony Orchestra for an evening of songs on May 27

Anne Sofie von Otter: the Swedish mezzo-soprano will perform at the National Concert Hall with the National Symphony Orchestra on May 27

Over the years, our National Symphony Orchestra has accompanied many magical sopranos such as Kiri Te Kanawa, Angela Gheorghiu and Joan Sutherland. One name that’s eluded them up to now is the glorious Swedish mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter – but soon that will be put right.

Von Otter became famous around the same time as Abba and her career has been just as enduring. The Stockholm woman was dubbed “the queen of cool”, an ...