Yngve Søberg

Yngve Søberg became part of the soloist ensemble in The Norwegian Opera & Ballet in 2010. He has sung a number of roles here – which has caused the critics to bring out the superlatives.

"Søberg himself was a joy, as he often is. His expressive baritone breathed life and color into even the shortest phrases. Personally, I choose this kind of communication ability over vocal acrobatics at any time," wrote Aftenposten's reviewer Maren Ørstavik about the interpretation of the role of Don Carlo di Vargas in the concert version of La forza del destino in autumn 23.

In spring 24 he sang in Mahler's eighth during the Bergen Festival, the farewell concert for Edward Gardner with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Aksel Dalmo Tollåli wrote the following in Aftenposten: "Yngve Søberg shows once again how good he is in the German repertoire, and his short aria at the start of part two stands as one of the great highlights of the evening."

In the 18/19 season, he made his debut in the role of Rigoletto in Florence and as Sharpless in Madama Butterfly in Zurich. Since then, he has interpreted both roles, including during the Festivals in Bregenz. He has also sung Rigoletto in Hannover and Hamburg, as well as in the Opera in 2019 and 2022. Then Vårt Land wrote that Søberg was born for the role, and that "it must have a big heart and a voice that has the living life in it, to portray this complex figure, some would say one of the most complex in operatic literature". NRK believed that his powerful performance made it an "unforgettable experience".

In recent years, he has played several major roles here at the Opera: as Escamillo in a concert version of Carmen, as the father in Hansel and Gretel, Sharpless in Madama Butterfly, Mandryka in Arabella's Waltz, Amfortas in Parsifal act 3, Scarpia in Tosca and Orestes in Elektra – "steadily and wonderfully beautifully sung", as Aftenposten's reviewer Aksel Dalmo Tollåli wrote.

Other roles in the Opera include Cesare Angelotti in Tosca, Amonasro in Aida, Germont in La Traviata, Sharpless in Madama Butterfly, Junius in The Rape of Lucretia, Alfio in Cavalleria Rusticana, Marcello in La bohème, Escamillo in Carmen, Giorgio Germont in La Traviata,  the title role in The Marriage of Figaro, and Masetto in Don Giovanni.

After studying at the Norwegian Academy of Music and the Royal Danish Opera Academy, the baritone made his debut in the role of Mandarin in Turandot at the Copenhagen Opera. At the National Opera here at home, his first role was the sacristan in Puccini's Tosca in 2007.

Other roles include the king's herald in Lohengrin in Zurich, Alfio in Cavalleria rusticana and Tonio in Pagliacci in Graz. He has also sung Amonasro in Aida at the Oscarsborg Opera.

Yngve Søberg has made a name for himself in several singing competitions and was one of the finalists in the Belvedere Competition in 2007. With a concert repertoire consisting of, among others, Handel's Messiah, Mozart's Requiem, Fauré's Requiem and Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, he is also a sought-after concert singer.