The Swedish soprano Malin Byström is probably best known to collectors for her performances of Richard Strauss’s ‘Salome’, a role she has recorded twice on SACD to considerable acclaim. The final scene from that opera is included on this disc, ‘German Opera Scenes and Arias’, which also features works by Beethoven, Weber and Korngold and offers a varied and rewarding showcase for her rich and expressive voice.

From the outset, Byström demonstrates her ability to inhabit a character with conviction and emotional depth. In Leonore’s celebrated recitative and aria “Abscheulicher! Wo eilst du hin?” from Act I of ‘Fidelio’, she delivers an interpretation of arresting emotional charge and purpose. There is real dramatic weight here, matched by the vocal power and control required to convey the heroine’s courage and devotion to her husband, the imprisoned Florestan.

A different aspect of her artistry emerges in Agathe’s scena from ‘Der Freischütz’, where she sings with notable purity and poise. The phrasing is finely controlled, and the legato line unfolds with natural ease, resulting in an account that is both poised and warmly communicative.

While she has yet to sing the role of Marietta in ‘Die tote Stadt’ in the opera house, her performance here of the enchanting “Glück, das mir verblieb” suggests a natural affinity with Korngold’s idiom that combines warmth of tone with a finely shaped musical line.

It is, however, the three excerpts from Richard Strauss operas that form the heart of the programme and make this disc something special. In Helena’s Act 2 aria from Strauss’s rarely performed ‘Die ägyptische Helena’, Byström’s refulgent tone emerges with ease, meeting the music’s challenges with assurance and radiance. The final scene from ‘Capriccio’ is delivered with conviction and a keen responsiveness to the text, revealing her intelligence as an interpreter. One might regret, however, that this excerpt is not preceded by the opera’s evocative “Moonlight music”, which would have provided a more atmospheric introduction – especially given that the disc’s overall timing (59’52) would easily have accommodated it.
The disc culminates in the final scene from ‘Salome’, where Byström’s credentials in this repertoire are beyond doubt. This is a gripping and assured rendition, combining vocal brilliance with a vivid sense of drama. Even against the full force of Strauss’s orchestration, her tone remains gleaming and secure, and her instinct for the theatrical is unmistakable.

Throughout, she is superbly supported by Thomas Søndergård and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, who provide playing of richness and refinement. The BIS (24-bit/96 kHz) 5.0 multi-channel hybrid SACD recordings, made in the clear acoustic of Stockholm Concert House between 2020 and 2023, achieve an admirable balance between voice and orchestra, allowing every detail of Byström’s performance to register. Texts and translations are included.

This album confirms Malin Byström’s status as one of today’s leading operatic interpreters. Combining technical assurance with dramatic insight, she brings these scenes vividly to life, offering a programme that is both varied and consistently engaging – one that I found myself returning to with increasing pleasure.

Highly recommended.

Copyright © 2026 Graham Williams and HRAudio.net

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