Imagine hearing notes like this in opera today. The audience would probably faint! One of the greatest of all opera singers and very witty and funny also!

I envy all those who have the discovery of Birgit Nilsson in their futures. You are in for a life-changing experience. This cosmic voice is a gift from the universe. No singer is perfect, but this woman stands at the pinnacle in Valhalla.

Nobody sings like this today. Not even close

what an absolutely wonderful reminder of the glorious Birgit Nilsson. I was so blessed and honoured to have directed her several times (always Elektra) and she was every time superlative. Never to be forgotten. One orchestral rehearsal at Covent Garden the Oreste had a bad cold and Maestro Solti wouldnt allow him on stage but made him sing in the orchestra pit. I had to stand in for him and when we got to the long "seliger" which she holds for many bars starting pianissimo and them growing into the final bars fortissimo, the sound was so extraordinary and ear piercing that I nearly fainted. She held me up and coming off the last note smiled at me and said "I am very loud arn't I dear John!!!!" Her wonderful sense of humour was ALWAYS lurking somewhere. One couldnt help but adore her.

This DVD is a loving celebration to one of the greatest voices and personalities in the opera world. She truly was in a league of her own. The Divine La Nilsson.

I watched this on one of the PBS plus channels and it was wonderful, a very loving and terrific tribute to the one and only Birgit Nilsson, covering her entire life & career, with rare footage of her rehearsing, vocalizing backstage in her dressing room, interviews, and so forth. Her personality is showcased - she was funny, witty, no nonsense, professional and she had guts! She was not afraid of even the most controlling of master conductors such as Karajan. And that voice there was nothing like it and there will never be a voice like that. She was an opera goddess from Valhalla! She is my favorite soprano of all time. Thank you to the producers of this documentary.

Thank you to all of you for leaving your comments here and sharing your experiences! Unfortunately, we can’t hear Birgit Nilsson’s immense voice live anymore but we’re happy to hear and see all the amazing recordings in the documentary by Thomas Voigt and Wolfgang Wunderlich. Keep your passion and love for Birgit

Supreme Queen of dramatic sopranos. Hail forever!

I just watched the full documentary on PBS, 1:24 minutes. I have to say I couldn't contain my tears to see how humble and simple this woman was with her college and people around. No a diva. A Great, Great artist who knew how develop her own talent to share it with us. Her public. I love you Birgit. Always in my heart. ♥️

I remember well her last opera-performance in Frankfurt where she was singing the Elektra. Birgit Nilsson was in good voice, a great performance and her last on stage.

The last images on the Liebestod are to die for. And I was fortunate enough to be in the audience at the Met in 1983 when she sang Isolde's curse to an extatic audience. And the presence of all those Golden Age glories assembled on stage made the event even more fantastic. Never to be repeated. Now, we have to be content with robot-like singers (with a few exceptions though). RIP.

I had the great good fortune to meet her at the signing of her picture autobiography. She was so happy it was my birthday, she signed it with a big flourish that I cherish always. I saw her onstage in Elektra and Frau ohne Schatten. And in her big Met Comeback! A true legend.

Never to be forgotten, one in her own league.

She and Corelli, what a pairing of power!!!!

Saw/heard her many times at the MET, so blessed.

If all she had was that technique, I’d be on my knees. But her talent doesn’t stop there! Brava, Birgit!! Loved meeting you. R.I.P. 🌹🙏🏼❤️

I absolutely adore Birgit’s voice and her technique. ♥️

There will NEVER be another one like her!

Hers is a voice that would be one of the FIRST on my list to go back and hear if I only had a time machine!

Wonderful video! Thank you! I had the privilege of attending many of her "live" performances at the old and new Met. Some of the most memorable moments in my life!

Heard her in concert. Her voice traveled very quickly through space. Thrilling!

I just noticed that tears were streaming down my face. I can't explain exactly why but I have been rendered utterly helpless...I am new to Opera, I know nothing, but I am profoundly moved. I haven't the training to sing opera, but on some days I think I am a singer of some kind. But not today.

if one is not already moved by this video, the last shot of her, turning in her bow at the Metropolitan and returning to her homeland in the fading shot, ought to take care of that. a very beautiful tribute.

Birgit Nilsson was the definition of opera.

Ho avuto la fortuna di sentirla nel teatro antico di Orange nel sud della Francia...cantava nella Walchiria...ne sono molto felice...

*The last scene is so touching and her smile in **3:18**

What a wonderful woman and singer.

I think we all would have wept when Nilsson retired if we had known how long it would be before we would have an adequate replacement. Still waiting.

I was introduced to the phenomenon that was Birgit Nilsson by a friend at university in the early 70s. We were both on a voyage of discovery in classical music in general and opera in particular. The Decca Ring cycle was a special favourite, mainly because of Nilsson but for me also because of the VPO. I fell in love with the sound of the wienerhorns and years later played Horn as a semi-pro. In the late 70s my pal and I went to hear Birgit in Elektra at Covent Garden, conducted by Kleiber. This opera is not to my taste as I prefer music to a Hammer horror onstage. To this day, the only memory I have is of walking from the Tube station down Floral St and being able to hear our Birgit quite clearly warming up high overhead in her dressing room. No amount of street noise could mask THAT sound. Derek and I glanced at each other and grinning like Cheshire cats, made our way to the theatre entrance in Bow St. Afterward we waited outside the stage door as Derek wanted her autograph. When she emerged she was an absolute delight. Warm and friendly, chatting to friends and acquaintances about their families etc. A lovely, lovely person.

God bless you, Fru Nilsson, wherever you are!

I had been listening for a few days to Price - a first and a legend. I hadn't listened to Nilsson in a long time and this showed up on my iTunes home page. Another unexplainable sound. Kaufman describes her best.

They talk about the Swedish musical wonder, ABBA, Roxette and others. But this is it! My fellow swede, La Nilsson. Wow.

Magnificent singing.

Wonderful artist! I can even cry listen to her singing Wagner which is not my loved composer!

A quote from Birgit Nilsson: Isolde made me famous. Turandot made me rich. Her debut ( as Isolde) at The Metropolitan Opera made the front page of New York newspapers.

Thank you for this! Just ordered the DVD.

To quote Lohengrin- a 'mythic voice'.

The Voice of an angel!

It's unbelievable thrills to tears with wonderful strength

Great human beings are made, not born. You can see in that final bow how Opera made of her a Great Lady. I saw one other the like at the end of her career--Schwarzkopf. Sharing the love and gratitude with each person in the audience--with just a simple gesture. Wow.

Diva Nilsson, I worship you, my mighty Queen......

In an interview with the NY Times she showed how funny she could be, saying: "The "Isolde" made me famous, but the "Turandot" made me rich."

I was lucky enough to see her Isolde twice and a glorious concert in LA. Records, alas do not do her justice; live was a revelation and in truth it is the only way to make a reasoned judgement of any singer.

Sublime and beautiful.

God I traveled for 9 minutes in another world thank you

I have not been moved by Nilsson once in anything she sang. An amazingly massive voice and amazing technique, but nothing to say. She was to Wagner singing what Sutherland was to Bel Canto. Give me Martha Modl, Callas, Ludwig etc etc. any day.

She is the one and only😍😍😍

she's incredible. love her

Wunderbar

This video is delightful! I think one can get an impression of the size of her voice at 4:28. Of course it’s only an impression but to me it seems massive!

Que linda persona!💝

Grandiosa cantante!💝

Muito obrigado por compartilhar.

Fabulosa otra persona que nunca conocí por qué yo era una niña pero la he conocido ahora y me alegro mucho que bosque voz ni callas ni nada ella y Victoria de los Ángeles las mejores

BEAUTIFUL

Die Beste Sängerin BRAVA!!!!

the one and only!!!!!!!!

No words ❤❤❤

She came from the fertile,,rich Earth of Scania, South Sweden.A farmers daughter with a Will of iron

The greatest!❤️

They are right. The was no one like her. Never will be again.

She played the diva role inSweden all right!

Sie hat die Form sehr schmal geführt, aber konnte die Öffnung in der Länge optimal einstellen. Deshalb die Schärfe im Ton.

Who is the woman at 1:01? and has anyone found the original video for that particular clip?

🌷

Gottes Segen

5:53

One Medien Wunderlich DVD I ain’t got. ☹️

My compliments f t video Birgit and I never met inMET But we met in V Karup Skåne Just sad I was 2 young to ask her t On the other hand she was already married 1980 Sad she didnt get any kids She so dearly longed Mon homage

never come again.

Kirsten Flagstad has the same or even more volume and above all a golden tone, Nilsson not. But the last twenty years there is nothing to compare with such voices like Frida Leider, Kirsten Flagstad and Nilsson or singer with a intensity like Martha Mödl or Inge Borkh (best Elektra).

Oh come on... She's not a force of nature. Nilsson worked her ass to become what she's known today. She studied and worked with a good teacher and had a bright mind to absorb the words, ideas that it gave her.

If you admire her so much why the hell don’t you adopt her technique then, she has more chest than you do 😂