Our latest reader submission is Norwegian barihunk Håvard Stensvold who made his debut at the Royal Theater in Copenhagen as Masetto in Don Giovanni in 1997. He has gone on to sing Masetto, Don Giovanni and the Commendatore in Mozart's Don Giovanni. He's made his mark in other Mozart roles, as well, including Papageno in the Magic Flute, Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro and Guglielmo in Cosi fan tutte. He sings primarily in Scandinavia, although he's performed in Belgium, Austria and Spain.
He started performing as a boy soprano with the Norwegian boys choir Sølvguttene. He went on to study at the Royal Opera Academy in Copenhagen at the Royal Danish Music Conservatory, where one of his instructors was the famed baritone Håkan Hagegård.
Håvard Stensvold sings "Ho capito" from Don Giovanni:
He's also made his mark in contemporary opera, singing the lead roleBo Berg inKnutVaage's Khairos at Norske Opera, Kjell Habbestad's The Maid Of Norwayin Bergen, Nielsen's The Little Mermaid, Cecilie Ore's Dead Beat Escapement at Norske Opera, The Soldier in the world premiere of Palmar Johansen's Madonna Furiosa, and one of the leading roles in the world premiere of Anitra Tumsevica’s opera Red.
He also appears as Zebul on the CD of Handel's Jephtha under Fabio Biondi, as well as three recording with with pianistTorEspenAspaas, WinterHolidays, Schubert's Winterreise and a Brahms lieder recital.
