Egill Ólafsson

This is an Icelandic name. The last name is a patronymic, not a family name; this person is properly referred to by the given name Egill.

Egill Ólafsson (born 9 February 1953), is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, actor and legal and copyright expert. He is married to the actress Tinna Gunnlaugsdóttir.

Education

Egill Ólafsson studied playing guitar and piano when he was young and was part of a boys' brass band under the direction of Karl Otto Runólfsson.

During he was a student at Hamrahlid College from 1970 until 1974 Egill Ólafsson sang in choir of the school Kór MH.

1970 he started to study at the Tónlistarskólanum (music school in Reykjavík). The disciplines he was studying were singing and composing. In 1976 Egill Ólafsson graduated at Tónlistarskólanum in Reykjavík.

Professional life

He specialized in legal matters and copyright issues, but also composed for many types of music including music for choirs, brass band music and music for strings and trumpets. He has composed around 30 theatrical works. He composed for musicals Grettir, Eva Luna and Come Dance With Me, the latter having a run on off-Broadway in 1996. His works have been played by various ensembles like Spilverk þjóðanna, Stuðmenn, Hinn íslenski Þursaflokkur, Tríó Björns Thoroddsen, Blái hatturinn, Les Grand Tango and The Icelandic Soundcompany.[1][2]

He has landed many stage roles in Iceland and film roles in Icelandic, German and Scandinavian films.

Under the mononym Egill he released a number of albums mainly with Stuðmenn / Spilverk þjóðanna labels. He also co-wrote materials with Finnish artist Matti Kallio, a resident of Iceland.

Egill Olafsson also is a musical-performer. Several times he was performing leading characters in the Icelandic productions of different musicals at the Icelandic National Theatre, for instance Evita (Perón), Carmen negra (Escamillo), Three Penny Opera (Peachum), Kiss me Kate (Fred Graham) and also in many of the plays he has written as composer. [3]

He appeared as Javert in Vesalingarnir, the Icelandic adaptation of Les Misérables at the National Theatre, after having played the role of Jean Valjean in the same musical a quarter of a century earlier. At Les Misérables: The Dream Cast in Concert on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the opening of the Original West End production of the musical Les Misérables Egill Ólafsson was performing as one of the Seventeen Valjeans at the second encore. It was filmed in October 1995 at the Royal Albert Hall and released on DVD, VHS and LaserDisc distributed by Sony Pictures (US/CAN) and BBC Video (UK).

Personal life

He is married to the actress Tinna Gunnlaugsdóttir.

Before the Icelandic loan guarantees referendum, 2010 Egill Ólafsson was one of the Icelandic celebrities, who spoke out to vote "no". [4] [5]

At the elections for the Icelandic parliament Althing in April 2013 Egill Ólafsson was a candidate of Lýðræðisvaktin (Iceland Democratic Party).[6]

Work

Discography

Albums

Singles

Filmography

  • The Husky in Iceland - (2014) - Narration
  • Team of the Way: Part 5 - Home (2012) - Narration
  • Dream about the road part 3.- The Words (2012) - Narration
  • Legends of Valhalla - Thor (2011) - Main Cast (Icelandic version)
  • Steindinn okkar 2 (2011) - Supporting Cast
  • Dream of the Way: Part 2 - Heritage (2011) - Narration
  • The Magic Wardrobe (2011) - Supporting Cast
  • Mannasiðir Gillz (2010) - Supporting Cast
  • Court 2 (2010) - Supporting Cast
  • Dream of the Way: Part 1 - Prelude (2010) - Narration
  • Big Rescue, The (2009) - Supporting Cast
  • Court (2008) - Supporting Cast
  • Beowulf and Grendel (2005) - Supporting Cast
  • Ahead of Time (2004) - Screenplay
  • Ahead of Time (2004) - Main Cast
  • Crossroads (2001) - Main Cast
  • Dramarama (2001) - Supporting Cast
  • Angels of the Universe (2000) - Supporting Cast
  • Citizen Cam (1999) - Main Cast [8] [9] [10]
  • Honour of the House (1999) - Supporting Cast
  • Vildspor (1998) - Main Cast
  • Count Me Out (1997) - Supporting Cast
  • Viking Sagas, The (1996) - Supporting Cast
  • Private Lives (1995) - Supporting Cast
  • Agnes (1995) - Main Cast
  • Der Gartenkrieg (1994) - Supporting Cast
  • Wallpaper: An Erotic Love Story (1992) - Supporting Cast
  • Men's Choir, The (original: Karlakórinn Hekla / Der Männerchor) (1992) - Main Cast [11]
  • Children of Nature (1991) - Supporting Cast
  • White Viking, The (1991) - Main Cast
  • Rust (1990) - Music Composer
  • Rust (1990) - Main Cast
  • Under the Glacier (1989) - Supporting Cast
  • Magnus (1989) - Main Cast
  • Pretty Angels (1989) - Main Cast
  • In the Shadow of the Raven (1988) - Main Cast
  • Cool Jazz and Coconuts (1985) - Screenplay
  • Cool Jazz and Coconuts (1985) - Main Cast
  • Black and Without Sugar (1985) - Music Composer
  • When the Raven Flies (1984) - Main Cast
  • Golden Gate, The (1984) - Supporting Cast
  • Inter Nos (1982) - Music Composer
  • On Top (1982) - Main Cast
  • Twins, The (1981) - Supporting Cast
  • Twins, The (1981) - Music Performers
  • Twins, The (1981) - Music Composer
  • Silfurtunglið (1978) - Music Composer
  • Silfurtunglið (1978) - Main Cast

Compositions

(Music composed for theatre)

References

  1. ↑ Tonlist: Egill Ólafsson page (in Icelandic)
  2. ↑ Icelandicmusic: Egill Ólafsson page (in English)
  3. ↑ official page of Þjóðleikhúsið (The Icelandic National Theatre): Egill Ólafsson page (in Icelandic)
  4. ↑ Article at DV.is about Egill Ólafsson and Icesave: (in Icelandic)
  5. ↑ Egill Ólafsson speaks at a video at the official YouTube channel of Al Jazeera English about the Icesave-referendum: (in English)
  6. ↑ page of Egill Ólafsson at the official Homepage of the party: (in Icelandic)
  7. ↑ Page of Album Örlög min at Sena.is: (in Icelandic)
  8. ↑ Page of Citizen Cam at IMDb: (in English)
  9. ↑ Article about Citizen Cam at derStandard.at: (in German)
  10. ↑ Article about Citizen Cam at Morgunblaðið online: (in Icelandic)
  11. ↑ Page of Der Männerchor at IMDb: (in English)
  12. ↑ Morgunblaðið (11. júní 1995) about Þrek og tár: (in Icelandic)
  13. ↑ Website Sella Páls (librettist of the musical): (in English)
  14. ↑ FOUR JEWS ON PARNASSUS — A CONVERSATION by arl Djerassi - Performance Schedule: (in English)


External links