TOMMY KÖRBERG

Tommy is one of Sweden's most versatile artists. He was brought up in a very musical family, and although he's never had a singing lesson in his life, his first acclaimed performance was at the tender age of 4. At school he planned a career in journalism, but when a guitar was put in his hand at the age of 15 all that changed. He won some amateur contests at first, but the big breakthrough came when the group he was leading--"Tom, Mick & The Maniacs"--got a hit record!

Since then, Tommy has twice been a European Song Contest finalist, and has appeared with various stellar multi-music groups such as Solar Plexus, and Made in Sweden, featuring Blood, Sweat & Tears guitarist George Wadenius. Together with his brother-in-arms, pianist Stefan Nilsson, Tommy has sung Brel and Swedish poetry. From time to time he takes time to indulge his musical fantasy and love--pure jazz, with the Tolvan Big Band Jazz Group as a counterpoint to the musical shows that he is now so much in demand for.

In fact, his musical debut occurred in the traditional Swedish folkopera Varmlanningarna in Upsala, where he also appeared several years later in They Shoot Horses, Don't They? He has played in church concerts, festivals, Tage Danielsson's opera Animalen, Rune Lindstrom's Skinnarspelen, appeared in satirical revue with Hasseatagem and played a robber in the film Ronja Rovardotter.

Tommy has acted in Brecht plays and cabaret performances at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm, and enjoyed great success in London as Anatoly, the Russian chess player, the role that he recreates here now in New Zealand. Tommy comes to us direct from another musical triumph in Sweden--Les Miserables, where he played the role of Jean Valjean.

[All biographies from the original Auckland souvenir brochure.]