Diddú facts for kids
Sigrún Hjálmtýsdóttir (born 8 August 1955), known as Diddú, is a talented Icelandic soprano singer and songwriter. She studied music at the Reykjavík College of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. Diddú started her singing journey in the 1970s with the popular folk and pop group Spilverk Þjóðanna. Later, she focused on classical music, especially opera and Lieder (German art songs).
Her most recent album, Hvert Örstutt Spor (which means Each Tiny Step), was released in 2005.
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Early Life and Learning Music
Diddú was born on 8 August 1955, in Reykjavík, Iceland, where she also grew up. She was the second of seven children. Her father, Hjálmtýr E. Hjálmtýsson, worked at a bank, and her mother, Margrét Matthíasdóttir, was a writer.
Diddú began her music studies at the Reykjavík College of Music. After that, she went to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. She earned a degree there between 1979 and 1984, and then a special postgraduate diploma in 1985. She also took private singing lessons in Italy from 1987 to 1988 to improve her skills even more.
Diddú's Music Career
Diddú started her singing career as a vocalist with the folk and pop group Spilverk Þjóðanna. She sang with them from 1975 to 1978 and recorded many folk and popular songs.
After this, she decided to focus on classical music, especially opera and Lieder. She has performed in many operas with the Icelandic Opera company. Some of her famous roles include:
- Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro
- Gilda in Rigoletto
- Papagena and the Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute
- Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor
- Violetta in La traviata
- Adina in L'elisir d'amore
- Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus
She also performed as a guest singer in other countries. For example, she sang as Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro in Trondheim, Norway, and as Gilda in Rigoletto in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 1992. She also played Olympia in Les contes d'Hoffmann at the National Theatre of Iceland in Reykjavík.
Diddú in Film and Special Concerts
In 1994, Diddú appeared in an Icelandic film called Bíódagar (Movie Days). She played the mother of a young boy who loved American movies in the 1950s.
In 2001, Diddú performed at a special concert in Beijing, China. This concert was held in the Forbidden City Concert Hall to celebrate 30 years of friendship between Iceland and China.
On 26 September 2007, Diddú was a special guest at a concert in London. She performed with the famous singer Garðar Thór Cortes and the National Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican Centre. She sang several well-known classical pieces, including "Il Bacio" and "Casta diva." She also sang duets with Garðar Thór Cortes, such as "O soave fanciulla" from the opera La bohème and "The Prayer".
Diddú's Family Life
Diddú is married to Þorkell Jóelsson, who is also a musician. He was born on 28 May 1952.
Her father, Hjálmtýr E. Hjálmtýsson (1933–2002), was an actor. He appeared in several Icelandic comedy films like Með allt á hreinu (On Top, 1982), Löggulíf (A Policeman's Life, 1985), and Karlakórinn Hekla (The Men's Choir, 1992).
Diddú's youngest brother is Páll Óskar Hjálmtýsson. He is a well-known pop singer, songwriter, and disc jockey.
Diddú's Albums
Diddú has released several music albums throughout her career:
- Sigrún Hjálmtýsdóttir Sópran (1992)
- Töfrar (Magic, 1994)
- Jólastjarna (Christmas Star, 1997)
- Klassík (Classical, 1998)
- Ljós Og Skuggar (Light and Shadows, 2000)
- Óskastund (A Moment for a Wish, 2001)
- Fuglar Tímans (Birds of Time, 2003)
- Hvert Örstutt Spor (Each Tiny Step, 2005)
