'Swedish Nightingale’ to feature at this year’s Elgar Festival

One of the most revered singers of the 19^th century will be celebrated at this year’s Elgar Festival.

Jenny Lind – who was often called the ‘Swedish Nightingale’ – has a special place in the county’s history.  Born in Stockholm in 1820, Jenny’s fame and fortune led her to England and to her final resting place, Great Malvern Cemetery, following her death in 1887.

The Jenny Lind Singers – an all female choir named after their namesake – will perform on Sunday 25 May at a special concert at St George’s Church, St George’s Square, Barbourne in Worcester; tickets cost £12 each.

This virtuosic female voice choir, under the leadership of conductor Lynne Lindner, will present a programme celebrating the works of women composers past and present including Amy Bebbington, Joanna Forbes L’ Estrange, Elizabeth Poston, Olivia Sparkhall, Errollyn Wallen, Master of the Kings Music, Liz Dilnot Johnson and also repertoire by Edward Elgar.

The Jenny Lind Singers specialise in performing and promoting works by both female and local composers, as well as championing new music.

Kenneth Woods, Artistic Director of the Elgar Festival said: “During her lifetime no performer was more revered than the Swedish soprano, Jenny Lind. We are therefore delighted to be able to celebrate her extraordinary talent at this year’s festival.”

The Jenny Lind Singers were founded in the 1970’s at Malvern Girls’ College by the Head of Music and Elaine Hugh-Jones and re-founded in 2013 by Lynne Lindner, then Director of Music at Malvern St James Girls’ School, at the invitation of the Malvern Civic Society. They present several concerts a year, including Britten’s Ceremony of Carols at Christmas for which alumnae return to their hometown to celebrate their unique musical legacy.

The Singers are made up of Lara Bienkowska, Becky Moore, Rebecca Fisher, Vicky Henderson, Alison Houlbrooke, Saska Ingham, Catherine Jackson, Lynne Lindner, Catherine Shepherd, Anna Taylor and Philippa Wright.

On her retirement, Jenny Lind and her husband purchased a house in Malvern at Wynds Point and she lived there until her death in 1887.

The Elgar Festival takes place from Saturday 24 May until Sunday 1 June this year.

Themed ‘Celebrate with Elgar’, this year’s Festival will bring together world class professional musicians and artists alongside local choirs and ensembles placing the music of Worcester’s most famous son alongside that of his contemporaries and some of today’s leading composers and arrangers.

Set in the composer’s hometown and surrounding areas, the festival is an annual celebration of Elgar’s music spanning symphonic and string orchestra concerts by the resident and world renowned English Symphony Orchestra.

Other highlights this year include Elgar’s Symphony No. 2 and John Ireland’s oratorio ‘These Things Shall Be’ performed by the ESO and joined by the 2025 Festival Chorus on Saturday 31 May in Worcester Cathedral. There are further performances by English String and Chamber Orchestras, recitals by world renowned performers Raphael Wallfisch, David Briggs and April Fredrick, several participatory events including ‘Come and Play Elgar 1’ and a Young Singers Masterclass. The ever-popular family concert returns hosted by Classic FM’s Zeb Soanes including the winning pieces of the Festival’s Young Composers’ Competition; the event will also celebrate the work and 70^th birthday of Worcester’s finest living composer Ian Venables. 

There are several free events, relaxed concerts, an exhibition, choral events, a film screening, Q and As, a guided walk and a new performance partnership with students from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

Since its inauguration in 2018, when it was a Critic’s Pick in both The Guardian and The Times, the festival has doubled in size and scale and continues to grow annually through an innovative development programme of appealing and accessible events, working with hundreds of both internationally renowned professional artists and amateur musicians and performers of all ages to ensure Elgar really is for everyone.

For further information and to book tickets please visit www.elgarfestival.org