Sándor Svéd (Alexander Svéd or Alessandro De Svéd, for Western audiences) was and still is a
legend in Hungary. After vocal studies with Fritz Feinhals, Mario Sammarco and Riccardo Stracciari, he started his career at
the Budapest opera (1928–36), then was a member of the Vienna Staatsoper from 1936 and officially until 1940,
although he sang mostly in Italy from 1938. From 1940 to 1950, he was a member of the New York Met.
When he visited relatives in Hungary in 1950 (or 1951?, sources differ), the Communist government did not allow him to leave
the country and travel back to the USA. So he had to stay, and had no other possibility than to sing at the Budapest opera
theater again. After 1957, he could resume his international activity.
His singing was of quite spectacular beauty when he was young; unfortunately, though, the vast majority of his recordings was
(like the ones below) made after his forced return to Hungary, and by then, his sound was (often extremely) woolly, and
marred by a heavy wobble.
Reference 1: Kutsch & Riemens, reference 2
