Kim Borg was born in
Helsinki. He studied voice with
Heikki Teittinen at the
Sibelius Academy (1936–1941 and 1945–1947), where he also received training in theory and composition with
Leo Funtek and
Aarre Merikanto, and then pursued vocal studies with
Andrejewa de Skilondz in Stockholm (1950–1959). He also studied
biochemistry at the
Helsinki University of Technology, and received a
diploma in 1946. In 1947 he made his formal concert debut in Helsinki, and in 1951 his formal operatic debut in
Århus as Colline in
La bohème. In addition to his concert appearances, he sang regularly in opera in Helsinki and
Copenhagen (1952–1970),
Stockholm (1963–1975), and
Hamburg (1964–1970). In October 1959 he made his
Metropolitan Opera debut in
New York City as Count Almaviva, remaining on its roster until 1962. In 1961 he appeared as
Boris Godunov in Moscow. He also had success in such roles as
Osmin,
Don Giovanni,
King Marke,
Hans Sachs,
King Phillip II,
Pimen,
Gremin,
Don Basilio and
Arkel. Recordings of him are available as Abner in
Saul og David by
Carl Nielsen, Shigolch in
Lulu,
Shchelkalov in
Boris Godunov, the Messenger in Orff's "Antigonae", and both Sarastro, the Sprecher and the Second Armed Man in
The Magic Flute; also doing bass solos in
Mozart's
Requiem,
Beethoven's
Missa Solemnis,
Verdi's
Requiem,
Elgar's
The Dream of Gerontius, Rossini's
Stabat Mater, Dvořák's
Stabat Mater, and
Haydn's
The Creation. He also left a fine recording of
Mussorsky's
Songs and Dances of Death. In 1962 he received the Pro Finlandia Medal of the Order of the Lion of Finland. He retired from the stage in 1980. From 1972 to 1989 he was a professor at the
Royal Danish Conservatory of Music in Copenhagen. He published several books, wrote orchestral compositions (Trombone Concerto, two symphonies), chamber music, a
Stabat Mater, and songs. He also prepared orchestrations to compositions of Mussorgsky and
Hugo Wolf. He died in
Humlebæk, Denmark in April 2000, aged 80. He is buried in the
Hietaniemi Cemetery in Helsinki. ==Discography==