Sweden has given many great singers to the lyric stage, but none so widely acclaimed and admired in this century as Jussi Bjorling.

While many other tenors have been hailed as successors to Enrico Caruso, it was to Bjorling that Dorothy Caruso, the singer's widow, said in 1951, "You are the only one worthy to wear his mantle, bear Rico's crown!" Bjorling's exceptional voice, flawless technique, outstanding musicianship, and impeccable musical taste earned him critical acclaim and enthusiastic audiences on three continents. These great gifts were combined with genuine humility and simplicity; he remained unspoiled and deeply devoted to his family.

His tragically early death at the age of forty-nine ended a professional singing career that had started when he was only five, and he is perhaps unique among singers in having made recordings from the acoustic era through the advent of stereophonic sound.

This book is the first English-language biography of Bjorling. In addition to the recollections of his widow and stage companion Anna-Lisa Bjorling, it incorporates information from the family archives, documentation held by the Jussi Bjorling Museum in Borlange, Sweden, and material from various operatic archives in Stockholm, New York, London, and San Francisco. Extensive interviews with former colleagues, associates, and friends provide further insights into Bjorling's life and career.

A chronology of his career, compiled by Harald Henrysson, is also included.