Karl Gustaf Ingvar Wixell, (May 7, 1931 – October 8, 2011) was a Swedish baritone who had an active international career in operas and concerts from 1955 to 2003. He mostly sang roles from the Italian repertory, and, according to The New York Times, "was best known for his steady-toned, riveting portrayals of the major baritone roles of Giuseppe Verdi — among them Rigoletto, Simon Boccanegra, Amonasro in Aida and Germont in La traviata.
He was a regular customer at La Traviata restaurant in San Francisco, California where an item on the menu was named in his honor-Salmone Alla Wixell, baked in parchment with fresh tomatoes, black olives, pesto, garlic, and white wine.
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In 1965, he performed the Swedish entry in the Eurovision Song Contest. The winning song from Sweden was "Annorstades Vals" ("Elsewhere Waltz) where he performed both in Swedish and English. He also performed the song, "Absent Friend," at the international final in Naples, Italy where the song placed 10th.
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He is survived by his wife, Margareta Wixell of Malmo, Sweden, and two daughters, Marit Wixell and Jette Wixell.
$850,000
