Customer Reviews

Classic Recitals: Brigit Nilsson (Dig)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

We have been blessed to have heard Nilsson sing, whether live or on recordings. Her mark on the operatic world was that her voice was larger than any orchestra accompanying her and her consistency throughout her career.

When I met her 25 years ago in San Francisco, I told her that I enjoyed this recording of Verdi so much, I probably wore out the LP. At last I can remove my LP player from my stereo and retire it forever since I only used it exclusively for this recording.

What makes this recording so special to me are the glorious pear shaped notes she creates throughout this recital. The most remarkable one on this disc is "Pace, pace mio Dio." This one aria is worth the cost of the disc. Has anyone ever heard a more beautiful opening? What a joy it is to finally have this recording on CD.

Please be sure to grab a copy of this gem before it vanishes forever.

Birgit Nilsson, who sang what is considered the greatest Brunhilde of the last 50 years, may now be singing in Valhalla after all! She passed away on December 25, 2005, in her hometown in Sweden. Her remarkable career in opera was quite long, having begun in Europe and later America. She didn't retire until the mid 80's and even after her retirement it was said she could still sing quite well, as evidenced in her "Hojotoho" Brunhilde cries at the James Levine Birthday Metropolitan Gala sometime in 1995. Birgit Nilsson first conquered Wagner opera. She debuted at the Met as Isolde, sang Brunhilde at Bayreuth, and was also quite familiar with both the roles of Elisabeth and Venus in Tannhauser. Strauss was another specialty of hers as she could sing hair-raising Salomes and Elektras. But she was a versatile artist and few remember how wonderful she could perform Dona Ana in Mozart, how she commanded the role of Turandot (which she also sang at the Met), how she could sing Aida with flair, how dramatic her Tosca and Minne from Fanciulla Del West were.

In this album, she sings arias from Verdi operas. Nilsson was not the reigning Verdi soprano of her time- Leontyne Price was. But Nilsson could sing awesome Lady Macbeth and Abigaille in Nabucco. Lady Macbeth she sang both on stage and in recording- one with Giuseppe Taddei as Macbeth. The Sleepwalking Scene is well-rendered. She sings with style and her high note at the end is enthralling. Also on here are arias from Leonora in La Forza Del Destino. This was never a role she sang on stage or recordings. It is not a role that is suited to her voice- even Aida is better suited to her voice. But her "Pace Mio Dio" is moving and lovely. The aria "O Don Fatale" should never be sung by a soprano but it has been taken on by sopranos too, including Maria Callas. Nilsson sings it with passion and vigor. If you're a fan of Nilsson and want to hear her sing Verdi in a grand manner, this is for you. But it's Nilsson singing Verdi in her own way, not Verdi's way.

This CD , is the living example of what a wonderfull and unforgettable lady and soprano, Nilsson was. THIS A BASIC AND AND ESSENTIAL CD, YOU MUST HAVE ON YOUR COLLECTION. Its pure emotion.

This record has always been one of my favourite Nilsson recordings. I have both the LP versions: mono and stereo, the first given to me from my parents in 1965 when I was only 15 years old. What a voice, technique and - brilliant top notes! The aria from Nabucco: I would give it 10 stars if possible. At this price a "must" in any operatic CD collection.

I think that capturing Birgit Nilsson's voice has always eluded the microphone. I never had the opportunity to hear her live, but those I know who did agree that hers was a voice that had to be "felt" as well as heard, and her records don't do her justice. The singer herself has had a love-hate relationship with her recordings, and that perhaps is the reason why she rerecorded the Ring, Tristan and Turandot. This recital demonstrates what this powerhouse could do with the slightly more accessible music of Verdi. All in all, she is in her element and there are few dull moments, and yes, very few subtleties.

What ruins this recording (and the CD reissue) is the ugly orchestral playing and pedestrian conducting from Argeo Quadri. If the exaggeratedly loud dynamics and blasting brass were this conductor's idea of appropriate playing for Birgit Nilsson, he couldn't be more wrong.

Birgit Nilsson, as wonderful as she is...was not suited to Verdi, especially to Abigaille and Lady Macbeth.

-her Italian is bad (the vowels) and she seems to have no idea what she is saying
-she is devoid of a good coloratura technique
-she sings off pitch in a couple of the Macbeth arias
-she should've just cut the cabaletta to 'Anch'io dischiuso un giorno'...she slides up and down the scale like an overweight person wearing spandex on a wet slide

She is fabulous in Puccini and Wagner...where all she has to do is sing...and not think about being a musician.

AND what horrible conducting and loud brass! Verdi on steroids.