Lill Bessmann is a Swedish Danish Artist
mezzosoprano, flutist, pianist, actress,
artiste visuel, writer and composer who is active
in a broad spectra of genres; ranging from jazz, musical to classical music and opera repertory.
She has collaborated with many of Swedens famous artists such as Composer and Artist Mikael Wiehe, operasinger MarianneMörck, opera chief & director Philip Zandén, popsinger O Svensson, and is known for the special sound of her own; mixing classical opera with musical, french chanson and jazz.
Born of musicians, the icon Jazzdrummer
Hein Bessmann from Copenhagen & Concertpianist Kerstin Heden from Stockholm, she was starting her career at the early age of eight by participating in the Rogers Hammerstein musical The King & I at Malmo Opera. Since then she has been continually starring in numerous musicals earning herself the leading roles; Bugsy Malone, Annie, West Side Story, The Love Project, Pamela, Watership Down, Oliver Twist, Joseph the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, From Showboat to Nine.
She also performed as the Leadsinger & Flutist at the famous Swedish show Wallmans Salonger.
In 2000 she was cast by opera chief and director, Philip Zandén, for the principal role (SALLY) of the original cast Bad People (Dåliga Mänskor), composed by famous Swedish composer Mikael Wiehe.
The play opened with its very first performance at the Malmo Opera and earned Bessmann great critical acclaim including praise for role interpretation, gaining her brilliant reviews and much attention. This was further followed by a critically acclaimed tv-documentary and further soundtrack.
Lill Bessmann recently performed in New York City where she was invited to perform as a soloist at
The National Arts Club, Gilles Larrain Art Studio, the Norwegian Seamen´s Church and
the Swedish Church of New York.
For a long period of time Lill was based in Rome, Italy, performing as a singer for the Embassy of Sweden, Circolo Scandinavo per Artisti e Scienziati, La Chiesa Svedese, l´Istituto Svedese di Studi Classici,
Rome Cavalieri Hilton and the Hotel Eden. During this time she also acted as a songcoach for the Italian theatre company of Renato Capitani.
Lill was educated at the Conservatory of Music in Sweden, where she completed her degree with
Soloist and Master of Fine Arts/5 years. Shortly afterwards she was given the largest scholarship
ever granted for a foreign student at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City.
She has taken masterclasses for famous Italian operatenore Maestro Nicola Martinucci,
the American artist David Brunetti, New York, Swedish actor Torsten Föllinger
and famous Swedish opera baritone Håkan Hagegård.
Raised by a family of musicians within the field of composing, theatre, music, singer & songwriters,
with musical influences from her father, a well known jazz musician, and her mother, a classical pianist,
Lill is active in a broad spectra of genres, ranging from jazz and musical to classical music and opera repertory, working as a freelance singer in Sweden, Italy, France and New York City.
mezzosoprano, flutist, pianist, actress,
artiste visuel, writer and composer who is active
in a broad spectra of genres; ranging from jazz, musical to classical music and opera repertory.
She has collaborated with many of Swedens famous artists such as Composer and Artist Mikael Wiehe, operasinger MarianneMörck, opera chief & director Philip Zandén, popsinger O Svensson, and is known for the special sound of her own; mixing classical opera with musical, french chanson and jazz.
Born of musicians, the icon Jazzdrummer
Hein Bessmann from Copenhagen & Concertpianist Kerstin Heden from Stockholm, she was starting her career at the early age of eight by participating in the Rogers Hammerstein musical The King & I at Malmo Opera. Since then she has been continually starring in numerous musicals earning herself the leading roles; Bugsy Malone, Annie, West Side Story, The Love Project, Pamela, Watership Down, Oliver Twist, Joseph the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, From Showboat to Nine.
She also performed as the Leadsinger & Flutist at the famous Swedish show Wallmans Salonger.
In 2000 she was cast by opera chief and director, Philip Zandén, for the principal role (SALLY) of the original cast Bad People (Dåliga Mänskor), composed by famous Swedish composer Mikael Wiehe.
The play opened with its very first performance at the Malmo Opera and earned Bessmann great critical acclaim including praise for role interpretation, gaining her brilliant reviews and much attention. This was further followed by a critically acclaimed tv-documentary and further soundtrack.
Lill Bessmann recently performed in New York City where she was invited to perform as a soloist at
The National Arts Club, Gilles Larrain Art Studio, the Norwegian Seamen´s Church and
the Swedish Church of New York.
For a long period of time Lill was based in Rome, Italy, performing as a singer for the Embassy of Sweden, Circolo Scandinavo per Artisti e Scienziati, La Chiesa Svedese, l´Istituto Svedese di Studi Classici,
Rome Cavalieri Hilton and the Hotel Eden. During this time she also acted as a songcoach for the Italian theatre company of Renato Capitani.
Lill was educated at the Conservatory of Music in Sweden, where she completed her degree with
Soloist and Master of Fine Arts/5 years. Shortly afterwards she was given the largest scholarship
ever granted for a foreign student at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City.
She has taken masterclasses for famous Italian operatenore Maestro Nicola Martinucci,
the American artist David Brunetti, New York, Swedish actor Torsten Föllinger
and famous Swedish opera baritone Håkan Hagegård.
Raised by a family of musicians within the field of composing, theatre, music, singer & songwriters,
with musical influences from her father, a well known jazz musician, and her mother, a classical pianist,
Lill is active in a broad spectra of genres, ranging from jazz and musical to classical music and opera repertory, working as a freelance singer in Sweden, Italy, France and New York City.
Swedish Television
LILL BESSMANN & Opera Chief and Director Philip Zandén. The TV-broadcasting of the documentary
"....Men drömmarna är desamma"
Recorded at The Malmo Opera by Swedish Television, documenting the creation of Mikael Wiehe´s Musical Dåliga Mänskor
LILL BESSMANN & Opera Chief and Director Philip Zandén. The TV-broadcasting of the documentary
"....Men drömmarna är desamma"
Recorded at The Malmo Opera by Swedish Television, documenting the creation of Mikael Wiehe´s Musical Dåliga Mänskor
The soundtrack from Dåliga Mänskor
Musical composed by Mikael Wiehe
Swedish Original Cast
Malmo Opera Sweden
Lill Bessmann in the principal role Sally
Recorded at the Malmo Opera, Naxos Records
Musical composed by Mikael Wiehe
Swedish Original Cast
Malmo Opera Sweden
Lill Bessmann in the principal role Sally
Recorded at the Malmo Opera, Naxos Records
Press/Reviews
Lill Bessmann, nel ruolo di Tina, dá un´interpretazione fortissima e psicologicamente nella parte di una tossicodipendente. quando Lill Bessmann entra in scena, lo spettacolo inizia a risplendere.
GöteborgsPosten
La parte forte e drammatica, che fa scintillare questo spettacolo di tre ore, é recitata da Lill Bessmann nel ruolo di Sally, una persona sfacciata che agli occhi di Mackie e Lillemor é una vera donna di mondo.
Ystad Allehanda
Sally recitata da Lill Bessmann ha una facciata dura che non permette a nessuno di sopraffarla, ma dietro il suo gergo ardito c´é un calore ed una solidarietá, una consapevolezza della societá classista. Lill Bessmann riesce a bilanciare questi antipodi in modo affascinante,
e rende cosí la parte ricca di sfumature.
Östgöta Correspondenten
Nella fabbrica Kolonial lavora anche Putte Hågen (Riesbeck) e la appariscente femme fatale di Malmö,
Sally (Bessmann), ed insieme i due formano una coppia esplosivamente dinamica.
Kristianstadsbladet
Lill Bessmann é una donna ribelle con delle gambe squisite e un inferno dietro la maschera. Lei ha le idée chiare di essere "la piú salata della cittá", con la lingua appunta e un´apparenza da diva.
Norra Skåne
Cosí Lill Bessman nella parte di Sally, una meravigliosa giovanne sgualdrina, che dietro la facciata prepotente si dimostra una persona profondamente umana.
Skånska Dagbladet
....Con i bei, forti ritratti di Lill Bessmann e Niklas Riesbeck della coppia con la espressiva Sally e il giovane danzatore di swing Putte. Ma non solo il cast ha avuto successo. Il nuovo musical di Mikael Wiehe é fantasticamente messo in scena dal regista Philip Zandén.
Actuelt Copenaghen
"Dåliga Mänskor" é prima di tutto una creazione scenica veramente buona,
che dall´inizio alla fine dimostra classe alta internazionale.
Come detto, questo potrebbe essere West End.
NST
La scena appartiene a Sally e Putte Hågen che sono i veri protagonisti di questo musical. Lill Bessmann insieme a Niklas Riesbeck dá vita allo spettacolo,
fanno di questo un musical.
Stockholms Radio
Niente di meno Philip Zandén ha accumulato un complesso
che sa sia cantare che recitare.
Questo é un insieme di caratteri piú forte e chiaro
che si é mai esibito in un palcoscenico di un musical svedese.
Kvällsposten
GöteborgsPosten
La parte forte e drammatica, che fa scintillare questo spettacolo di tre ore, é recitata da Lill Bessmann nel ruolo di Sally, una persona sfacciata che agli occhi di Mackie e Lillemor é una vera donna di mondo.
Ystad Allehanda
Sally recitata da Lill Bessmann ha una facciata dura che non permette a nessuno di sopraffarla, ma dietro il suo gergo ardito c´é un calore ed una solidarietá, una consapevolezza della societá classista. Lill Bessmann riesce a bilanciare questi antipodi in modo affascinante,
e rende cosí la parte ricca di sfumature.
Östgöta Correspondenten
Nella fabbrica Kolonial lavora anche Putte Hågen (Riesbeck) e la appariscente femme fatale di Malmö,
Sally (Bessmann), ed insieme i due formano una coppia esplosivamente dinamica.
Kristianstadsbladet
Lill Bessmann é una donna ribelle con delle gambe squisite e un inferno dietro la maschera. Lei ha le idée chiare di essere "la piú salata della cittá", con la lingua appunta e un´apparenza da diva.
Norra Skåne
Cosí Lill Bessman nella parte di Sally, una meravigliosa giovanne sgualdrina, che dietro la facciata prepotente si dimostra una persona profondamente umana.
Skånska Dagbladet
....Con i bei, forti ritratti di Lill Bessmann e Niklas Riesbeck della coppia con la espressiva Sally e il giovane danzatore di swing Putte. Ma non solo il cast ha avuto successo. Il nuovo musical di Mikael Wiehe é fantasticamente messo in scena dal regista Philip Zandén.
Actuelt Copenaghen
"Dåliga Mänskor" é prima di tutto una creazione scenica veramente buona,
che dall´inizio alla fine dimostra classe alta internazionale.
Come detto, questo potrebbe essere West End.
NST
La scena appartiene a Sally e Putte Hågen che sono i veri protagonisti di questo musical. Lill Bessmann insieme a Niklas Riesbeck dá vita allo spettacolo,
fanno di questo un musical.
Stockholms Radio
Niente di meno Philip Zandén ha accumulato un complesso
che sa sia cantare che recitare.
Questo é un insieme di caratteri piú forte e chiaro
che si é mai esibito in un palcoscenico di un musical svedese.
Kvällsposten
TV/Radio
I sogni sono gli stessi....
Men drömmarna är desamma....
Sveriges Television, documentario sulla creazione dello spettacolo Dåliga Mänskor
La Canzone dell´Anno - Årets Låt
TV4, trasmissione in diretta, Wallmans Salonger
....In una Serata d´Estate
Musik i Sommarkväll
TV4, Lill Bessmann Concert, la chiesa di San Matteo
Concerto di Natale
Christmas Concert Malmö Opera
Sveriges Television, trasmissione in diretta da Malmö Opera
Jazzconcert Lill Bessmann Quartet
Sveriges Television Syd
Intervista lill bessmann to New York City
Radio P4 trasmissione in diretta
Theatre
Bad People /Dåliga Mänskor (Sally)
Swedish Original Cast
Malmö Opera
Director Philip Zandén
Wallmans Salonger Show (Lead Singer // Flutist)
Director Peter Björk
The Love Project / Kärleksprojektet (Tina)
Original Cast
Pusterviksteatern Göteborg
Director Sonja Gube
Polvere, quando il pensiero balla (Afrodite)
Teatro Agorá Roma
Director Renato Capitani
Faust
Malmö Opera
Director Stewart Laing
West Side Story (Anita)
Pusterviksteatern
Director: Lena Falck
Bugsy Malone (Blousey Brown)
Nöjesteatern and Victoriateatern
Director Thomas Engelbrektson
Oliver Twist (Nancy)
Victoriateatern
Director Edward Wojcicki
Pamela (Pamela)
Original Cast
Gertrudteatern
Director Elisabeta Zemljic
Annie (Annie)
The Theater Restaurant
Director Pavel Drazdil
From Showboat to Nine (Solista)
Concert performance
Malmö Opera
Watership Down
Victoriateatern
Director Edward Wojcicki
The King and I (Princess Chulalongkorn)
Malmö Opera
Director Danya Krupska
Grants/Awards
Konstnärsnämnden - Stockholm
Konstnärsstipendium för etablerade konstnärer
The Swedish Arts Committee of the Swedish Government
Artist grant for established artists within the creative fields
visual arts and design, dance, music, theatre and film
Circolo Scandinavo - Residence in Rome for Nordic Artists
Nordic Artists Residence Program in Rome
the Nordic Councils of Ministers
International exchange to expose Nordic artists in Rome
The American Musical and Dramatic Academy - New York
University of Performing Arts New York City
Anders Sandrews Stiftelse - Stockholm
For Artist within the areas of Music, Theatre and Dance
Helge Ax:son Johnsons Stiftelse - Stockholm
The Crafoord Foundation - Sweden
Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken - Stockholm
The Foundation Irma & Arvid Röst
Lindhés Law Firm Stockholm
The Foundation Helmer Lövgren
Lund University of Sweden
Discografy
Avec Le Temps
Poéme Quoi Records
Dåliga Mänskor
Swedish Original Cast
Musical by the Swedish Artist and Composer Mikael Wiehe
The Malmo Opera Sweden
Naxos Records
La Collezione d´Autunno / Backalirs Höstkollektion
Soul Supreme Band
Backalir Records
I Thought About You
Lill Bessmann Quartet
Aquarius
la Maison Blanche Productions
Seasons of Love
la Maison Blanche Productions
Till alla kvinnor
Öresound Band
Cavel
The supreme Orchestra
Lahti ProduKtion
North/Jazz
The supreme Orchestra
Lahti Produktion
- for additional info welcome to music page -
Academies, Universities, Colleges / Formazione Professionale
The Estill World Symposium V Rome
Italian Operatenore Maestro Nicola Martinucci
L´Accademia Internazionale dell´Opera di Roma
Master of Fine Arts Cantante Diplomata
Malmö Musikhögskola - Il Conservatorio di Musica di Svezia 5 years
The American Musical and Dramatic Academy
The University of Performing Arts, New York City
Lingua Italiana & Cultura Italiana
Scuola Leonardo da Vinci Roma Italia
Lingua Italiana
L´Universitá Kronborg Malmo Svezia
Musica Africana
Banjul Gambia
lo studio della musica africana
delle tribù Fula, Mandinka, Wolof
touring in Africa with African musicians
Masterclass Song
Alto Perfezionamento di Canto
The Estill World Voice Symposium V - Rome Italy
Italian Operatenore Maestro Nicola Martinucci
L´Accademia Internazionale dell´Opera di Roma
American Artist David Brunetti - New York City
Swedish Opera tenor Håkan Hagegård - Värmland Brunskog
Swedish Jazzsinger Elisabeth Melander - Ingesund Musikhögskola
Swedish Opera tenor and Actor Torsten Föllinger - Härnösand Folkhögskola
The College of Music
Malmo Musikgymnasium Heleneholmsskolan
Jazz Ballet
Arnbergs Dansstudio
Rolf Hepp
Annes Jazzdans
Linda Roslin
Pas De Deux
Studi di Recitazione - Formazione Teatrale
Professori Philip Zandén, Lisbeth Hallberg, Sonja Gube
Language
Swedish - Italian - English - French - Norwegian - Danish