Isolde's Curse

Birgit Nilsson is Isolde in this 1967 performance of Wagner's "Tristan und Isolde." Herta Toepper is Brangaene.

[@ralphoperaphile]

This is from the 1967 performance in in Osaka on 10 April 1967, propulsively and expertly conducted by Boulez. Superb acting and singing - those top Bs! - and the way Nilsson sings "Er sah mir in die Augen" - He looked into my eyes - stunning. I just love this scene; it's the essence of Wagner.

[@stevendaniel5649]

Decades later she still leaves me breathless and transfixed............

[@wotan10950]

I saw Nilsson three times towards the end of her career. Still thrilling, but I never saw her in Tristan. I can’t help thinking that if Bernstein had been conducting this performance, we’d still be in the prelude.

[@nevim007]

She never sung Tristan. Only Isolde afaik.

[@wotan10950]

@@nevim007 “but I never saw her in Tristan.” Please read correctly before you make stupid comments.

[@joshuavandyne7334]

@@wotan10950 however, I saw Tristan in her more times than I care to remember ….

[@MrStpendouslvforjo]

She was the greatest voice along with Sutherland and Flagstad....and this piece of music gives me chills....and transports me to another world..... Those High B's are tremendous....Ah! Wagner is magnificent!

[@draganvidic2039]

george prentice Sloppyland but LA NILSSON...

[@swandizzle185]

My German is pretty weak, and I don't know the Opera, but this is very well acted and sung. I watched the whole thing, and I don't usually do that if I can't understand what is being said.

[@kgarmaker123]

I agree. I love her! She makes this aria, come alive!

[@LohengrinTh]

all great composers, Bellini, Verdi, Donizetti, including Wagner demanded from the soprano very strong low notes which most sopranos either muffle or just dont sing by transposing upwards because their voices are inadequate. Nilsson had a fabulous low register, as did Astrid Varnay

[@draganvidic2039]

LohengrinTh Varnay was more of a mezzo who struggled to find her high notes and managed very well singing as soprano in Wagner roles for some years. But her voice was "bottom heavy" where Nilsson's grew bigger the higher notes she sung. See her face on her high notes here! Not even light coloraturas look this relaxed!

[@Wotan123456789]

@@draganvidic2039 In the 40s till mid 50s Varnay's high notes rivalled Nilsson's. I don't think she was 'more of a mezzo' at all. It is that she began very early and the heavy roles she sang took a toll on her. She said herself, she felt her muscles were not fit enough as to support the repertory she was singing.

[@ER1CwC]

@@Wotan123456789 Hmm I’m not sure if Varnay was a mezzo. I doubt she could have sustained the tessitura of heldensoprano roles for so long had she been actually a mezzo. But her voice was probably heavier (lower tessitura) than Nilsson’s, whereas Nilsson’s was more penetrating. Nilsson likely had a better technique. Varnay’s top notes always had a different colour than the rest of her voice, so there was something artificial about it. I’m a fan of them both though.

[@Wotan123456789]

@@ER1CwC I have never said she was a mezzo at all. Her Siegfried up to mid 50s showed that she was very comfortable with the high tessitura. I think that Varnay had a unstable technique that took a toll on her voice early - let's keep in mind that she started singing heavy roles at her early 20s. In any case, she was a force of nature, an incredible stage presence and a clever artist.

[@ER1CwC]

@@Wotan123456789 Sorry - I was responding more to that thread than you specifically (in regards to the mezzo thing). But in regards to your response, considering that she lasted as long as she did, I actually think she found a technique that worked for her! She sang Elsa and Sieglinde in the early 40s, and she was still singing Elektra in the mid 60s - 20 years isn’t bad! She would’ve been finished by the time the war ended had her technique been unstable. (And note that back then, all the dramatic singers sang heavy rep right from the start of their career. Milanov sang Turandot in her 20s, Ponselle sang Forza, Trovatore, etc. similarly when she was young, Hines sang Mefistofele in his 20s, etc..) But yes, I’m not sure it’s a technique people would want to follow. Pretty unorthodox. I think we’re largely in agreement.

[@g_vezz]

She always made it sound easy.

[@wilsonwatt9283]

Quite a weird staging since Isolde sings this curse on the ship that is taking her to be wed to King Mark. An odd ship that has a stone wall on it. Of course, with Nilsson singing one hardly notices the staging due to her immense vocal and emotive skills.

[@Wotan123456789]

This might be, IMHO, the best production of "Tristan" that is available on film, and for sure, one of the most innovative Wagner productions of the 20th century. If you have the change to see the whole production on video and accompany that with colour photos, you will realize what I am talking about.

[@olofholm8612]

Maybe it should represent a net (fishing net). Watch the sequences where Isolde's entire background appears; there you can see how the background "hangs" as if it were a net. But I agree that in the close-ups the background looks like a stone wall.

[@petatap]

Perhaps the best Video registration 9of "Tristan und isolde". Wer have Pierrwe Boulez (Director) and W.Wagner (+) staging. - don´ think you are blind at all (:) !

[@gowanhewlett745]

Peerless. Unequaled vocal authority and absolute dramatic characterisation. A recording of vital importance.

[@juliustilghman861]

Thank you.

[@operaoaf]

Nilsson is my favorite Isolde because she sings this monologue like no one else. It's not the most dramatic rendition I've ever heard but no one else hits those top notes like Nilsson.

[@wotan10950]

Gwyneth Jones gives a pretty fine curse here, the equal of Nilsson, in my opinion: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jKWamHiYmq-XeaM

[@meltzerboy]

@@wotan10950 What do you think of Waltraud Meier?

[@wotan10950]

@@meltzerboy I think Meier is a great artist.

[@Operafreak9]

I think it is indeed Nilsson's fury that sets her apart.

[@OsvaCola]

Musikalische leitung: Pierre Boulez. Inszenierung: Wieland Wagner. Toll

[@dannymaestro]

At 10:08 Brangäne ignore her highest note...

[@user-gw5nn2mm8k]

Голос сильный у Нильссон. но басов не хватает. Для меня идеальным вариантом является Астрид Варнай.

[@operaforever8545]

I do love Nilsson but in this piece I prefer Gertrude Grob-Prandl. It doesn't mean that she isn't great here, she is great and terrific, all commentators are right, but listen to Grob-Prandl too kzbin.info/www/bejne/nGrVk6uEa81sjdk (26:51)

[@83mogreen]

aaaaaaaa, why did u cut in that passage?

[@angryjalapeno]

Is it me or does Wagner like to challenge his sopranos with low notes?

[@loveandletlove8529]

No.Sopranos should have lows as strong as any other voice daintier but equally strong.

[@jamesmorris1657]

I saw her sing this with Vickers at the met in early 1974-didn’t care for him but she was just wonderful.

[@Operafreak9]

I think Vickers overrated.

[@Listenerandlearner870]

This production has been described by some as unsuccessful. Why is this ? It has many good aspects to it. Is the staging the same as under Böhm the previous year ?

[@illyaismaili6413]

Yes. It's Wieland Wagner's 1966 Bayreuth staging.

[@BrianJosephMorgan]

Bravo, Wieland Wagner! Bravo, Pierre Boulez!

[@LohengrinTh]

it is just that wagner and rossini in the same sentence? i will be attacked by wagner's ectoplasm :))

[@user-tv8zi4ie9t]

I like more the powerful voice of Astrid Varnay, it is bigger than Nilsson's voice. Birgit is great on her top but I don't like her bottom.

[@loveandletlove8529]

I think Birgit was an accute dramatic soprano less than Callas but more accute than others hence why she kept her high C till death.Astrid and Kirsten slightely fuller sopranos lost them post their prime but had a dark velvity voice apart from a dramatic steely glint.