In Vienna, where for centuries musical careers have been made or broken, the young Danish baritone Boje (Bo) Skovhus became a star overnight a few years ago - and it happened almost by accident. He had been studying voice at the Opera Academy in Copenhagen, but was still thinking of a career in medicine. Then a recommendation from his teacher brought him the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sing the title role in Mozart's Don Giovanni in Vienna. "I was 25 and I had never stood on a stage before," recalls Skovhus, "but I thought, why not give it a try. If it had turned out to be a huge fiasco, then I would probably be a doctor by now." After the performance, Viennese critics agreed unanimously that this was the best Don Giovanni they had seen in years.

Since then Bo Skovhus - now aged 33 - has made a name for himself not only on the operatic stage but also as a recitalist with numerous lieder performances in Europe and Japan. And as a part of his exclusive contract with Sony Classical he has already brought out, together with accompanist Helmut Deutsch, a new recording of songs by Korngold and Wolf (SK 57969).

An outstanding young Danish baritone on the international opera, concert and recital circuit, Bo Skovhus has won the admiration of audiences, music directors and press alike during the relatively few years of his career. Born in Ikast, Denmark, Bo Skovhus studied at the Music College of Aarhus, at the Royal Academy for Opera of Copenhagen and in New York.

Since his stirring debut in the title part of the Vienna Volksoper's 1988 production of Don Giovanni, Vienna has "adopted" the artist as one of their favourites. Bo Skovhus appears frequently both at the Vienna Volksoper and at the Vienna State Opera in various parts of his repertoire.

Besides his activities in opera and concert, Bo Skovhus devotes a large part of his time to Lieder recitals. Today the artist is considered as one of the few top Lieder interpreters of the young generation. Important appearances include places such as the festivals of Bad Kissingen, Edinburgh, Verbier, Bergen, Ravinia, Tanglewood, the Schubertiade Feldkirch, the Salzburg Pfingst Konzerte, the Vienna Festwochen, London, Hamburg, Berlin, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, the Vienna Konzerthaus and Musikverein, Graz, Paris, Basel, Copenhagen, Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Amsterdam, etc. Bo Skovhus records exclusively for Sony Classical.

(Information is from Sony Classical CD packets and the Sony Classical web site)