BIRGIT NILSSON 17 May 1918 -25 Dec 2005

I thought Birgit Nilsson would be around forever. To me, she was the Swedish Sphinx, one with an eternal smirk.

Cute shoes 0. Comfortable shoes 87.

Final. Christmas Day, 2005

Read the NYC Opera Fanatic's Memorial Tribute To Birgit Nilsson


"The finest Wagnerian soprano of her time, Nilsson possessed a plangent, powerful, firmly integrated voice that she was able to project above Wagnerian and Straussian orchestras with almost reckless freedom and unrivalled stamina. Compared to Flagstad, her characterizations had more thrust and edge, perhaps less repose; in Italian roles, she was imposing, if not always idiomatic. Nilsson retained her vocal power and quality until a remarkable age." -The Metropolitan Opera Encyclopedia

On a night overstuffed with stars, 77 year old Birgit Nilsson stole James Levine's 25th Anniversary Gala from them all, including the Maestro himself.

  The inimitable Nilsson style -April 27, 1996.


"An unparalleled artist and a lovely, down-to-earth woman."-Jane Eaglen

 read Jane's tribute to Nilsson

Obits and Tributes in the News
  • AP
  • Australian
  • Boston Globe
  • Daily Telegraph
  • Gramophone
  • Guardian UK: "Birgit Nilsson: A Voice Of Steel And Silver" (Kettle)
  • Guardian UK: Supreme Wagnerian soprano blessed with musicality, technique and imagination(Barker/Blyth)
  • L.A. Times
  • NPR (Audio)
  • NY Sun: "A Once-In-A-Generation Voice" (Nordlinger)
  • NY Times Obit. (Holland)
  • NY Times: "Nilsson In Person: The Glory Of Power" (Tommasini)
    •

    Appreciating Nilsson in the Blog-O-Sphere

  • Cacciaguida
  • hella frisch
  • ionarts
  • Serenade in Green (great Nilsson quote)
  • Sounds and Fury
  • WeHo Mark
    •

    Photographic Memorials

  • in memoriam: Birgit Nilsson at Sandy's Opera Gallery

    • Audio-Appreciations

  • Mike Richter, Nilsson Fanatic in Excelsis, remembers
  • Unnatural Acts of Opera is "remembering Birgit Nilsson"

    • more links coming soon!

    "The American Philharmonic's first concert of the season, in Fisher Hall, was an old-fashioned Wagner program, distinguised by the presence of Birgit Nilsson as the soloist. Miss Nilsson sang Isolde's Act I narrative, Elisabeth's Greeting, and the Liebestod.She has been just about the only singer of our day able to set the Met spaces ringing, and last week she set Fisher Hall ringing too. That was exciting. She is sixty-four. Her best notes had lost none of their old power or burnished brilliance, but the control of the voice was less secure than before: there were moments of unsteadiness and others of untrue intonation. I was glad to hear her Isolde again: she has a fine concert presence and the abililty to make excerpts fomr an opera seem not just concert numbers but parts of a complete and intently imagined performance" -Andrew Porter (review re-printed in Musical Events: A Chronicle 1980-1983

    WWW.Birgit

  • Decca
  • The Birgit Nilsson Prize, The Scandinavian-American Foundation

    • Nilsson's Wikipedia entry

  • Nilsson Page @ mild-und-leise (German website but Gallery and Liebestod Discography invaluable to all)

    • more links coming soon!


    Transcript of Nilsson/Varney/Moedl Roundtable

    Birgit's Home Movies?


    "Birgit was unique. Her voice, the dedication of her artistry, her wonderfully wicked sense of humor and her loyal friendship were in a class by themselves. I miss her already, as does the entire Met family."-James Levine

    Yes, we all miss you, Divine Birgit.
    Please watch over your beloved Metropolitan Opera.


    But, since maudlin wasn't the Nilsson style...

    Hey, that's My Fach, Lady!

     Birgit Sings Eliza Doolittle



    The Birgit Nilsson Virtual Monument Is An Ongoing Project From The NYC Opera Fanatic

    Birgit Nilsson Timeline
    Birgit Nilsson On Video And Disc
    When Colleagues Talk
    The Gospel According To Birgit

    NYC Opera Fanatic Homepage

    Hosted by Yahoo! Web Hosting Counter

    The Birgit Nilsson Virtual Monument Is An Ongoing Project From The NYC Opera Fanatic

    Birgit Nilsson Timeline
    Birgit Nilsson On Video And Disc
    When Colleagues Talk
    The Gospel According To Birgit

    NYC Opera Fanatic Homepage

    1965: "JA, ICH HABE DEINEN MUND GEKUSST..." SALOME

    "2 Twisted 4 Words"
    -NYC Opera Fanatic

    1970: "MILD UND LEISE", TRISTAN UND ISOLDE

    "Comfortable shoes." -Birgit Nilsson

    when asked to name the chief requirement for singing Isolde

    1972: BRUNNHILDE'S ENTRANCE, ACT 2, die WALKURE

    "While most sopranos rush Brunnhilde's Hojotoho's (presumably out of terror), Nilsson revels in them. Nilsson's correct battle cry seems like slow motion when compared to other versions.-NYC Opera Fanatic

    1977: RECOGNITION SCENE, ELEKTRA

    Nilsson's nickname in Italy was "La voce di vendetta" (the Voice of Revenge)

    "I do not like Parsifal at all"-Birgit Nilsson

    Credits

    While this webpage was created by the NYC Opera Fanatic, he is merely an instrument of greater powers. 2 people also deserve credit for this webpage: the divine Birgit herself (for obvious reasons) and Nilsson Fanatic in Excelsis Mike Richter (many of the audio clips on this page have been culled from Mike's website over the years). To each of them, the NYCOF gives a "four-times hurray" (that's 8, right?) for their contribution to opera and to my life!

    Credits (more)

    Sandy's Opera Gallery