Lögberg-Heimskringla - 26.10.1990, Blaðsíða 1

Inside this week
lcelandic Language Classes........
Icelandic Community ..............
The Master Carpenter..............
Answering a Need..................
102. Árgangur
102nd Year
. page2
.....3
.....4
...6 & 7
Föstudagur 26. október 1990
Friday, 26 October 1990
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lcelandic
News
lcelandic tenor:
Recently, Kristján Jóhannsson
signed a contract with the Vienna
Operá. He will bethe first lcelander
to perform there in leading roles.
Jóhannsson had his grand debut
in Carnegie Hall where he sang the
role of Hagenbach in La Wally by
Catalani, conducted by one of the
most distinguished music directors
of New York, Eve Queler.
Kristján Jóhannsson was born
into a musical Akureyri family. His
father was a well-known singer in
his younger days, and tenor Magnús
Jónsson, who performed all around
the world in the late fifties and early
sixtíes, is his cousin. Jóhannsson’s
mother, Fanney Oddgeirsdóttir, is
convinced that thís talent is heredt-
tary and will continue to be the
family’s trademark.
Courtesy oflceland fíavíew.
Japan: lceland Fair
organized:
Some 210,000 guests are ex-
pected to visit the six-day lceland
Fair ’90 exhibition in Tokyo in No-
vember. The idea of organizing the
exhibition was inspired by President
Vigdís Finnbogadóttir’s scheduled
visit to Japan in November to attend
the coronation of Emperor Akihito.
Japan'sffth largestdaily newspa-
per, Sport-Nippon, and thé Japa-
nese conglomerate Sugar Island
Group organize the fair, which will
be housed in the Tokyu Bunka
Kaikan cultural centre in Tokyo.
Sport-Nippon and the Sugar Is-
land Group intend to establish an
import subsidiary to specialize in
lcelandic products. The two hope
merchandise will suffice to meet the
costs involved in the fair’s organi-
zation, which is expected to total
over USDI million.
Icelandic parties will provide mer-
chandise for display, and products
such as fish, clothing, vodka, and
Water will be sold in the cultural
centre. A range of other material to
promote lceland and its products
will also be on display, and Miss
World ’88 Linda Pétursdóttir is
scheduled to attend a show of lce-
landic fashion.
l Courtesy of News From lceland
Haraldur Bessason
receives honorary degree
Haraldur Bessason, president of the
University of Akureyri in Iceland, and
former head of the department of Ice-
landic at the University of Manitoba,
received an honorary degree when the
University of Manitoba held its annual
fall convocation on October 18.
Dr. Bessason is a graduate of the
University of Iceland. Before comingto
the University of Manitoba in 1956 he
was deputy director of the Icelandic
State Broadcasting Service for a brief
period.
During his 31 years at the U of M,
Dr. Bessason emerged as a leading
Icelandic scholar, publishing essays,
articles and reviews on topics such as
Scandinavian mythology, the saga lit-
erature, and Icelandic-Canadian lit-
erature. His scholarly work was par-
alleled by his active participation in
the Icelandic community where, among
other things, he served as editor of
Lögberg-Heimskringla, presided over
the Icelandic festival, and held execu-
tive offices in the Icelandic National
League. The University of Manitoba
recognized his activities with its
outreach award while he was still a
staíf member, and other honors have
come from the City of Winnipeg and
from Iceland.
Dr. Bessason, his wife Margrét
Björgvinsdóttir and their daughter
Sigrún Stella travelled from Iceland to
attend the convocation. Many mem-
bers of the Icelandic community, Dr.
Bessason’s former students, íriends and
family came to be present at this spe-
cial occasion. One of Dr. Bessason’s
former students told Lögberg-
Heimskringla that he felt lucky to have
taken courses at the Icelandic depart-
ment while Dr. Bessason was its head
— that Dr. Bessason had been without
doubt one of the University’s best pro-
fessors; his lectures had been insight-
ful yetfull of humour and ease. He had
expected his students to do a vast
amount of reading and be creative in
their interpretation of the literature.
Lieutenant Governor Dr. George
Johnson at a reception held in Dr.
Bessason’s honour at Government
House spoke on behalf of all of Dr.
Bessason’s friends when he said, “One
always feels a lot better after speaking
with Haraldur.” Hé then went on to
relate two anecdotes about his visit
with Dr. Bessason in Iceland this past
summer.
When their honours Dr. George and
Doris Johnson flew from Reykjavík to
Akureyri, Dr. Bessason went with
them. Once in Akureyri, Haraldur
asked them to wait just a minute while
he exited the plane, because he was the
one who was supposed to be the first to
greet them and welcome them to
Akureyri. With these words Haraldur
left and tookhis place at the front of the
line of dignitaries who were there to
welcome the couple.
Accordingto Dr. Johnson, Haraldur’s
legendaiy genealogical expertise does
not only apply to Icelandic people but
to sheep as well. Haraldur had taken
George and Doris for a drive to show
them the countryside. Their son Jon
Johnson had been travelling in a car
right behind them. Sheep kept crossing
the road so Jon honked his horn at
them. Haraldur stopped his car and
went out. He then proceeded to ad-
dress the sheep by name and apolo-
gized on behalf of Jon explaining that
our cousins in Canada were not familiar
with sheep. He then suggested to Jon
he not honk his hom at sheep again.
After these two delightful anecdotes,
his honour proposed a toast to Dr.
Bessason.
Lieutenant Governor Dr. George Johnson, Doris Johnson, Dr. Haraldur Bessason,
Margrét Björgvinsdóttlr and Sigrún Stella at the reception at Government House.