Lorri Lail

Norwegian-Swedish mezzo-soprano (originally Laurie Lyle), born February 20, 1904 - Oslo, Norway, died August 1978 - Malmö, Sweden. She was born in Oslo but came from Scottish heritage. She began her singing training in Oslo. In 1933, she moved to Stockholm, Sweden to study with Due-Möller and later continued her studies in Switzerland and France. In 1937-1938 she studied at the opera School of Berliner Staatsoper. Lorri Lail made her debut as a concert singer in 1953 (or 1962) in Stockholm. She was first and foremost a successful concert soloist but later also turned to the opera. In the beginning of her career when she was touring in Sweden, she mostly sang light repertoire. In 1938-1940 she was engaged at the Stadttheater Danzig (City Theater of Gdansk), where her debut was Ulrika in Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera. She appeared on stage even in Sweden, so in 1949 she sang the role of Bianca in the Swedish premiere of Benjamin Britten's The Rape of Lucretia at Stora Theater in Göteborg, and repeated this role in the 1949/1950-season at the Royal Opera in Stockholm. In 1949 she performed in Copenhagen. She gave guest performances in the Scandinavian music capitals, at the Opera Houses of Dresden and Leipzig and in Switzerland.