Birgit Nilsson soaring top notes in her greatest live "Curse Scene" (1974)

Quite late into her career (aged 55 here), Nilsson still had the incredibly focused top notes we expect from her (and still on pitch in this year) and maybe even a somewhat denser sound than earlier. This is, in my opinion, her greatest performance of this scene.
Richard Wagner "Tristan und Isolde".
Isolde - Birgit Nilsson
Brangaene - Michèle Vilma
Conductor - Erich Leinsdorf
Metropolitan Opera House
30th January 1974, New York

[@MichaelVarcoe-Cocks]

I am sure Wagner would have been ecstatic at having a singer of this otherworldly talent and told her to hold any high notes as long as she liked!

[@OsvaCola]

The high B is stuning

[@donaldlevine1420]

I was at this performance. She was on fire.

[@roberthorn1838]

Unbelievable! Saw her Isolde at Covent Garden in the early 70s at Soltis farewell.Something about those Scandinavians, Flagstad, Nilsson, Bjorling , Melchior and now Lise Davidsen😁

[@draganvidic2039]

Davidsen got a resemblance of timbre sometimes with Flagstad or Varnay but an amazingly easy top. Her technique on the other hand is no way near the best.

[@ednewyork1]

the absolute greatest! i got to hear her do this at the met with vickers. talk about once in a lifetime!!!

[@stevendaniel8126]

Lord Have Mercy !!! Superhuman 😊

[@danielintheantipodes6741]

Stunning performance

[@dottot937]

First! Anways thanks for the great content as always...❤

[@ER1CwC]

This must be from the sole performance of Tristan that she performed with Vickers at the Met. Historic. I think that the high A is a tiny bit spread. Just a tiny bit! But the high B stops time.

[@dramaticsoprano5168]

The one at 0:18 or 4:26?

[@ER1CwC]

@@dramaticsoprano5168 4:26! But I'm really nitpicking. No one today can sing remotely close to this level.

[@ER1CwC]

Spread might not be the right word. I think a tiny bit of more cover would be ideal. But that's just my taste.

[@cmarley4259]

She always sustained the high notes a second or two longer than other. Exciting, but I wonder how Wagner would have imagined they be sang?

[@wotan10950]

In the score, the high-Bs are quarter-notes that should just be touched. But when you have a high-B like Nilsson, show them off!!

[@ER1CwC]

I don't know what Wagner would have thought. But I think that she held them within the bounds of good taste and didn't stop the line when doing so. So it's just good old fashioned musicality.

[@captainamerica-qw1gl]

They are not in good taste at all and quite egotistic. The second B should be very brief and sarcastic; hers contradicts Wagner explicitly. Wagner meant for the ensuing Curse to be the climax. Nilsson distorts his intent.

[@draganvidic2039]

@@captainamerica-qw1gl She’s forgiven

[@joaopauloribas8495]

It seems a little pitchy to me. Has the pitch been corrected?

[@dramaticsoprano5168]

I didn’t correct it, no. Does it sound too high?

[@ER1CwC]

​@@dramaticsoprano5168 I'm very sensitive to pitch, and the recording sounds fine to me. Nilsson is sometimes a bit sharp, as was typical of her during this period of her career.

[@MichaelVarcoe-Cocks]

I am sure Wagner would have been ecstatic at having a singer of this otherworldly talent and told her to hold any high notes as long as she liked!