Early music maestro dies
RIPThe Swedish music director Arnold Östman, artistic director of the Drottningholm Palace Theatre from 1980 to 1992, died yesterday, aged 83.
He was renowned for Mozart operas played on period instruments and was engaged throughout the world.
Love his splendid Drottingholm ‘Nozze di Figaro’. RIP.
That 1980 ‘Figaro’, videotaped from television more than four decades ago, is the Östman video in my collection I’ll be pulling out tonight to remember him. I’ll also try to find time for Scotto’s Met ‘Suor Angelica’ from 1981.
For years I listened to his recording of Pettersson’s Barfotasonger with Margot Rödin and Erik Saedén tirelessly. Quite a big deal for me personally, actually. Rest in peace!