The bass baritone HÅVARD STENSVOLD was born in Oslo in 1971. His interest in singing began in his childhood years as a member of Sølvguttene - Norwegian Broadcasting Boys’ Choir. He studied at the Royal Opera Academy in Copenhagen with Professor Susanna Eken. In 1998, he made his stage debut at the Royal Danish Opera House as Masetto in Don Giovanni. Besides Masetto, Stensvold’s roles with the Norwegian National Opera have included Guglielmo (Così fan tutte), Malatesta (Don Pasquale), and Papageno (The Magic Flute). In 2008, he sang in the recently commissioned opera, Dead Beat Escapement, which had its première at the new opera house at Bjørvika in Oslo. Stensvold toured in 2009 with the renowned baroque violinist Fabio Biondi and his baroque orchestra, Europa Galante, giving concerts in Spain, Poland, and at the Mozarteum in Salzburg. He also contributed to a recording of Händel’s ”Jephtha" by the same ensemble. Artist photos: Lasse Berre, Hans Knut Sveen