Salome - Birgit Nilsson

The final scene of Salome with Birgit Nilsson. Wolfgang Sawallisch conducting the Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma della Radiotelevisione Italiana in Rome. The date is unknown.

[@johnfitzpatrick6544]

Solti always said that his greatest musical experience was conducting with Birgit singing these last 15 minutes.

[@pederlettstroem980]

John Fitzpatrick If Solti had been more human, then we could have listen on youtube the Verdi opera Un ballo in mascera with La Nilsson and Jussi Björling. Some people says that partly it broke Jussi’s heart, when Solti cancelled the whole projekt, depending on that Solti eanted that Jussi should change his part so much. And Jussi had performed the King’s part so nany times. Beside that: Mrs Nilsson’s Salomè is just better than the best. Love it!

[@charlesciroula2454]

I saw the great soprano as Salome in 1964 at the Metropolitan. she certainly had the vocal power to soar above the 125 piece orchestra. She was electrifying and at the height of her vocal power. I can never forget that performance.

[@BillSalem]

There were three or four performances of Salome that season. William Dooley as Jochanaan. Boem conducted. She did the Dance of the Seven Veils full out; big body moves. I remember being awed by the way she finished the dance and reached for a golden goblet; took a swig of whatever was in the goblet and then launched full out into the final aria. Dooley said of her: "She has a voice like a diamond. It could cut through steel."

[@cufflink44]

When I was in high school in New York, late '50s or early '60s, I had the privilege of seeing Mme. Nilsson in Walküre at the old Met. At the time I couldn't afford a regular ticket but stood in line for "student rush" or something like that, and wound up in literally the worst seat in the house, up in the last row of the highest balcony, way over in the last seat in the row. And that voice, like a big, thick laser beam . . . it was as if she were standing next to me, singing into my ear. I'll never forget it. One of the great opera-going experiences of my life.

[@JDOopera76]

cufflink44 🥰

[@edwardamosbrandwein3583]

Had the privilege of seeing her in this role at the Teatro Colon (Buenos Aires) in 1965: a never-to-be-forgotten experience! She was paired with Eberhard Waechter (Jochanaan), Fritz Uhl (Heroes) and Grace Hoffman (Herodias). Georges Sebastian conducted.

[@mikaelb7735]

THIS, is the way it should be sung. PERIOD!!!

[@wotan10950]

I never saw Nilsson in the full role of Salome, but I did see her in this scene at the time of her Met Comeback! She also sang the Immolation Scene. Easy-Peasy, for the great Birgit anyway. Not to split hairs, but hers is not the loudest voice I ever heard (that would be Eva Marton and Gwyneth Jones), but she had a seemingly effortless way of focusing her voice, making it like a laser beam that you could hear in Central Park! In fact, Nilsson once called Beverly Sills to say she was disappointed that Sills couldn’t come to her performance. Beverly replied, “I will just open my apartment window and I’ll be able to hear you!”

[@christopherbubbadad7911]

Every note profound.a thoughtfully psychologically informed performance.. Every note from soloist and orchestra perfectly measured. Truly a profound performance.

[@shirleyrombough8173]

Transcendent. You can't tell where Richard Strauss ends and Birgit Nilsson begins. They are one. Bravissima.

[@GaryWh-js5vk]

What a force of nature her voice was! Incredible!

[@deonvandorp2226]

Oh my...look at that beast of an orchestra...and she soars through it and over it!!

[@dianaventura7999]

Brava! How she can sing this demanding scene is unbelievable. She has enough volume as TWO of today's Dramatic sopranos (Jesse Norman excluded). This is Must watch! The Solome final scene on KZbin has better picture but it is only partial. This one is complete. Sutherland, Callas, Tebaldi, Corelli, Nilsson, Moffo, Price, Sills, Horne, Norman, Pavarotti, Domingo makes up the greatest Golden Age of the last 60 years!!! And we are sooo lucky to have so many footage of them :)

[@MrStpendouslvforjo]

diana ventura I agree with you 100% Diana.....you just forgot Caballe.☺

[@raffaelenotarianni7605]

​@@MrStpendouslvforjo and Simionato, Cossotto, Verret

[@kerrytakashi12]

Absolutely gorgeous. Sawallisch's ear's must have been ringing with the huge voice singing right next to him.

[@kerstinbehlfelt4637]

thank You Birgit, nobody can bring us closer to the heavenly limit thanYou just did. My heart is with You. Thank You for You.

[@maesroger8054]

My heart is with you too, especially for these words : "Thank You BirgitI Thank You for You" !

[@Janen74]

Her Gb at 11.30 is outstanding! Gives me shivers! Love it, love it, love it!

[@Olgaalwina]

Nilsson ist und war eine musikalische Unerreichbarkeit!

[@andrewsmith691]

The Grande Dame! Always amazing! The greatest dramatic soprano in the recording era. Incomparable!

[@nwdixieboy]

It looks like around 1970 to me. Vocally she was the perfect Salome. She even nailed that excursion down to the F below C after all that singing in the head register.

[@gerardcohen7780]

C'est la version aggrandie de la scène. Très impressionnant mais Herode ne doit pas en mener large ! Ljuba Wellitsch est insurpassée dans le rôle : vierge et perverse.

[@vincentmancini6279]

I believe it is 1976

[@darkprose]

“I love classical music. It’s so relaxing.” 🧿👄🧿

[@MarcAllenCramnella]

Chill bumps every time.

[@giraffesinc.2193]

The conductor. MAGNIFICENT!!!

[@MusicayArtePR]

Earthshattering Nilsson as Salome! never heard it better than this, though I also love Varnay but Nilsson is truly a masterclass of great flawless execution. Great collaboration with Sawallisch for a truly magical experience.

[@michaelmcdonagh5104]

Everything Birgit Nilsson does is entirely dramatic and entirely musical, and -- seemingly effortless. I saw her do Strauss' Elektra @ La Scala with Sawallisch conducting, and she was astonishing. She even did her own Elektra dance.

[@michaeldelos2863]

It's worth noting that normally the orchestra wall of sound is muffled (somewhat) in the opera pit, but her she has to sing with them on the same level - but it makes no difference to that astonishing instrument she posessed. She could still pin people to the back wall of the auditorium!

[@mariomazzi7894]

Since the orchestra is behind her, it gives her a vocal advantage. The chances of the orchestra overpowering her are greatly reduced by placing them a behind the singer.

[@wolframfeigl4943]

She was my singer goddess. Unfortunately, I saw her only once as Salome, more often than Tosca, Turandot, Leonore (Fidelio) and many times as Elektra and Färberin (Dyer) in "Die Frau ohne Schatten" (The Woman without Shadow). I will never forget "my" Birgit.

[@racingrubberbiker]

What a unique talent. Where are the great dramatic sopranos today, with such accuracy and power of expression?

[@jamiecrete149]

Many thanks Mr. Lazar for this wonderful video. I had seen her in person in the late '70' and early '80' and she indeed has more than enough power to compete with and complement Strauss' wonderful wall of sound. But what a lovely note at 11:01.

[@nathnwil]

Hers was a naturally God given fully dramatic voice. Not manufactured. With that said, that would mean nothing if she had not been the intelligent sensitive artist she was who knew her instrument inside out.

[@Rastattt]

...unglaublich diese Stimme....ein Teufelsweib !

[@southseastroker]

Just simply magnificent

[@65attila]

A great voice and singer.

[@waltermontani1621]

meravigliosa!!!!! e grande maestro!

[@brunopicaude3092]

I wonder how does W. Sawallisch, just one meter far from her, to resist to those vibrations without being dislocated, desintegrated, transformed in puzzle !

[@rogermaes6001]

Happiness can break your heart : Birgit Nilsson is my heartbreaker ! RIP Lover ! 🖤

[@germanquintero10121946]

MARAVILLOSA SIEMPRE

[@radames5855]

stupefacente!!!!!

[@somatt5]

Glorious

[@stefankorrinz]

magnificent

[@FranciscoFerrerGaliana1930]

magnifica

[@birgitnilsson]

Thank you so much!!!

[@jorgenlundberg5289]

Unsurpassed!

[@birgitnilsson]

I couldn´t agree more...

[@birgitnilsson]

Danke viel mal.

[@soapydesigner]

WOW WOW WOW!

[@karlheinzkratz8987]

Unvergesslich diese Stimme. Vergleichliches kam danach nicht mehr.

[@yuenfung8276]

永遠的最高！！

[@AP-dd3xp]

少在那邊假裝日本人說話了，噁心！

[@germanquintero10121946]

UN PRODIGIO

[@alfredoloyola921]

Just nobody like her in this s aria!!sorry. Von. Karajan!!you were wrong about her,about her trumpet sound. yes!!you need a trumpet sounds for this morstrous aria!!and not the sound of a 15 years old girl!! The right sound for this aria is. Nilsson!!!!!!

[@Tojazzer]

It is difficult to believe that there are people who worship Callas; mostly Americans, of course.

[@robertmink427]

April 20, 1974

[@unclealand]

Have you ever heard Ljuba Weilitsch sing “Salome”? She had it ALL! No wobbling notes, no harsh belting, but powerful, beautiful singing with a young girlish sound.

[@mariomazzi7894]

Lnuba sounded like an underdeveloped deranged Salome

[@user-jt4js7ed3e]

Чому засинаю під прекрасний голос Нільсон? Чому плачу і всоте слухаю "Ріголетто" і "Тоску"?

[@vima8680]

The conductor "directs" with such hysteria, come uno pozzo, that it is distracting to watch. Birgit Nilsson is Salome!!!!!

[@purtigodo]

Comme un pozzo n'el giardino...

[@macksawyer6221]

Purtigodo, you beat me to it!!!!

[@darkprose]

Nice. She didn't look the part whatsoever, but her voice and acting is untouchable. I love her recording of Salome with Solti and the Vienna Philharmonic---glorious.

[@angelabender8132]

She was probably in her 50' or 60's😁

[@macksawyer6221]

What does "looking the part" mean? Were you around 2000 years ago to know what the "real" Salomé looked like? I bet she didn't ask for his head in German either. Opera has nothing to do with reality, it creates its own reality. Which she sure does here.

[@mariomazzi7894]

What a dumb comment. In opera, hardly anyone “looks” the part. Hopefully, people can use their imagination while listening to glorious singing

[@stevehays5029]

If see (see previous comment), wasn't she about 56 at the time of this performance?

[@alvianosalvago]

20 aprile 1974

[@stevehays5029]

Isn't this from the same concert as the 1974 performance of AH Perfido?

[@jovi1715]

Maybe it was filmed in late '60?

[@marco-marchi]

20 aprile 1974

[@karlheinzkratz8987]

Unerreicht. Niemand kommt auch heute Ihr gleich.

[@tharold8639]

Adore Nilsson but Welitsch was the ultimate Salome.

[@mariomazzi7894]

Ljuba did not have a pretty sound.

[@birgitnilsson]

In the mid seventies.

[@pedrosergio2002]

11:05

[@alfredosobalvarro6712]

Grrat

[@aleksandarstavric2226]

velicanstvena

[@Bumblebeebeebee]

You can't understand a word she sings, it could be either in German, Swedish or Korean. That's exactly not what the composer intended.

[@macksawyer6221]

I understood a lot, and in the theater you could certainly understand what she was singing.