Birgit Nilsson
Her name is inseparable from that of Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss, of both of whom she was one of the most eminent interpreters of the last century. Thanks to her phenomenal vocal powers, the career of this great Swedish dramatic soprano was exceptionally long: she sang Isolde on stage, when she was over 60 years old. A country girl, with a forceful personality and a savage sense of humour, she once declared that she started singing before she learned to talk, by imitating her mother who had a nice voice. Birgit Nilsson wasn't an actress, but her voice has such an exceptional power that it naturally has an imposing stage presence. The vigour of her temperament, the clarity of her attacks, the stupefying ease with which she tackles the high notes, a vocal strength that is also capable of the most infinitesimal pianissimo nuances, have all contributed to her unequalled glory. Between 1957 and 1970 she reigned in Bayreuth, singing Isolde (her favourite), Sieglinde, Elsa, and to be sure, Brünnhilde in productions of Wieland Wagner which completely modernised Wagnerian stage design, by giving it the new breath of life that it needed.
Thanks to her vocal talents, Birgit Nilsson was also the peerless performer of great dramatic roles like Elektra, Salomé and Die Frau Ohne Schatten (Strauss), Tosca (Puccini) and Aïda (Verdi). She was also a splendid Leonore, the staggering lead in Beethoven's only opera, Fidelio. But the almost-superhuman strength and magnetism of her voice fit especially well to the character of Turandot from Puccini's opera of the same name.
The intrinsic character of this voice should not, however, obscure the way that Nilsson personified her characters, thanks to her great intelligence and her innate sense for giving a very close rendition of the roles she played, matched with a perfect understanding of the composers that she sang with great nobility and style.
Music lovers the world over are spoiled for choice today, as yesterday, thanks to the famous discographic recordings from DECCA as well as the very numerous live takes which will forever preserve this phonogenic voice of voices, which had the good fortune of being recorded in all of its major roles, with the greatest supervisors and under high-quality technical conditions. Suffice it to cite the famous Ring (Wagner) recorded by Georg Solti between 1958 and 1965, remastered in recent years with a sound that hasn't aged one iota. But we will also find another complete Wagnerian Tetralogy recorded at Bayreuth and other indispensable studio recordings like Elektra and Salomé under the direction of the self-same Solti, without forgetting her unforgettable Isolde under the incandescent baton of Karl Böhm at Bayreuth, or, in the studio, under Solti's direction.
In 1984, at the age of 66, Birgit Nilsson gave up singing to concentrate on teaching. She created a foundation bearing her name, to support singers, conductors, and to encourage lyrical productions.
© FH / Qobuz
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Richard Strauss : Salome (Remastered)
Birgit Nilsson, Grace Hoffman, Gerhard Stolze, Eberhard Wächter, Wiener Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Georg Solti
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24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Strauss: Elektra
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 2 Nov 1967
The Qobuz Essential Discography24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
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Wagner: Orchestral Works by Hans Knappertsbusch
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Anton Bruckner: Symphony No. 3 "Wagner" - Richard Wagner: Parsifal (Kundry's Aria), Tristan und Isolde (Prelude & Liebestod)
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Wagner: Lohengrin
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Wagner: Götterdämmerung (Remastered 2012)
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Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 1973
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Wagner: Die Walküre
Birgit Nilsson, Leonie Rysanek, James King, Theo Adam, Bayreuther Festspielorchester, Karl Böhm
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 Jan 1965
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Birgit Nilsson sings German Opera - Arias by Wagner, Weber & Beethoven
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Puccini: Turandot
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16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ritorna Vincitor! - the legendary Birgit Nilsson
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16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sydney Opera House Opening Concert 1973 (Live At Concert Hall, Opera House, Sydney, 1973)
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Puccini: Tosca
Lorin Maazel, Birgit Nilsson, Franco Corelli, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Coro dell'Accademia Nazionale Di Santa Cecilia, Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale Di Santa Cecilia
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 13 Jul 1967
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Puccini · Turandot
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Classical - Released by G.O.P. on 21 Mar 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Verdi: Aida
Birgit Nilsson, Franco Corelli, Grace Bumbry, Zubin Mehta, Orchestra Del Teatro Dell Opera Roma
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16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Birgit Nilsson - Songs
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Airs
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16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Turandot
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Full Operas - Released by Musical Concepts on 30 Jul 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Wagner: The Ring - Great Scenes
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16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Presenting Birgit Nilsson
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16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo