Birgit Nilsson sings Rossini (vaimusic.com)

[raigekimaru]

Nilsson should have sung more bel canto and verdi. I would love to have heard her as Odabella =)

[RoOodOoOloOmeg]

If Rossini wanted to make a giant dramatic soprano voice to sing some of his pieces, well, he can't complain about the dramatic voice not having trills, because is still so fancy and elegant that is great.

[numetutelare]

Per Rossini non va bene...

[moghedien13]

Rossini is def not her bag baby hahaha. but she delivered in such a simple, clean, unmannered way and offered decent florid work how could anyone end up not won over?

[raigekimaru]

she sings through those florid passages and pops out those high Cs like a lyric coloratura soprano. Nilsson sure was a freak =P

[joanabanyeres]

La grandissima soprano, ma può darsi non per Rossini. ma per Isolda, Brünehilde o Fanciulla, un vero soprano drammatico.

[GloriaJanvier]

GREAT high C's! LOVE her "placement"!

[zurriussII]

Nilsson was fantastic and here's also good but Rossini is not his part.

[WilliamSGilbert]

All...two?

[lpw0021]

@WilliamSGilbert  hahahaha

[Wotan123456789]

God knows how much I adore Nilsson, but this looks a bit like a show-off for those amazing high Cs!

[odabellissima]

incredibile la nilson come canta rossini con questo vocione! che tecnica ,ragazzi!!!!!!!!!!! Bravissima!!!!!

[ricardocalado]

Amazing... they don't make them like this...

[Greatfan]

When I wote ITALIAN OPERA I meant ITALIAN MUSIC, for, obviously, I know the difference between an oratorio like STABAT MATER and an opera. Anyhow I go back to MARISA ALBANO and her wonderful, much better version of Inflammatus. I will try to upload it if there is a tape or a CD. Nilsson aptly and skilfully " husbands " her voice. ALBANO is a great singer and the type of lyric soprano that can sing Mimi, Pamina and these oratorios.

[jmahlon]

Because clearly all we need is one version of every piece of music.

[Greatfan]

The best version of this oratorio aria I ever heard I heard it from an argentine soprano - MARISA ALBANO . in a complete Stabat Mater at Teatro Colón some years ago, it sounded much more Rossinian than Nilsson's. I am a great Nilsson fan and I know she loved italian opera but knew her limitations specially in Rossini coloratura. She just showed her skills in scaling down her huge voice. Once. Amusing herself, proving herself. Love Nilsson very much !

[gencerito]

perdon pero la nilsson esta totalmente fuera de estilo, esto no es brunilda ni siglinda...

[sorobji]

Well, I guess that shows that She couldn't do EVERYTHING. She probably sight-read it two hours before the show. This was the period when she realized how much her name could rake in. ( Those Bell telephone "concerts" were SO kitsch.)

[steelyvickers]

If Adam Lambert had worn red lipstick and a purple robe at his performance of "Tracks of my tears" with his hair pulled back he would totally look like Ms. Nilsson on here...heheheheh

[AmericanEvita]

This might have been my first exposure to Nilsson..I saw this on the TV channel Classic Arts Showcase (also comes on KCET/PBS after program hours)...she's amazing...that voice is so HUGE..it's on fire...then I got into her big roles like Isolde, Brunhilde, Salome and was hooked...but this was the start...she projects with real fire and passion and has a voice that can do many many things!

[flaze3]

good top, but otherwise i was a little underwhelmed

[Heraopera]

I met Birgit Nilsson (many times) .... She has been THE NAPOLEON OF OPERASOPRANOS but a very fine soprano and very intelligent person (a whiskywoman of great old dramatic tradition!).....Clever person and unique artist!

[Orbazzano]

Divina divina divina!!! La Nilsson poteva cantare tutto ciò che voleva che le riusciva sempre e comunque benissimo! Birgit ti adoro!

[crudelta]

La Nilsson es increible en el momento en el q abre la boca, cante lo que cante!!!!! que gloria!!!!

[claraprellitensky]

Sin duda una gran cantante, pero en esta pieza religiosa y de canto alla italiana Nilsson no tiene nada que ver, no es para ella, està floja en esto

[micioamilano]

come italiano posso dirti che non c'è ssolutamente niente che nn vda bene nel suo canto "rossiniano"..mi dispiace nn essere d'accordo con te

[Nilakanta55]

You sillycunt , who cares about her face ? Guy , more respect ! Yo're talking about one of the most important Artists in the World !

But I think you do not know WHO is NILSSON , and wath she DID for the Music !! Gossip . just a stupid gossip !! And now you will tell me my english is not good ...but my Japanes is better ! Wath about yours ?

[swe50]

Yes Birgit may not have been beautiful but she could sing ! She was one of the greatest sopranos last century and I am sure she will be remembered far longer than her beautiful colleague Flemming. Pavarotti was no beauty, nor was Jussi Björling. Does it really matter that much ?

[thesillycunt]

Great voice, but ugly face!!! Sorry, but I really think she looks like Benny Hill dressed in drag!!!

[tjallew]

Remember old say "the blind Homeros see everything we whit open easy have difficoulti to see are self" I find it very dificoult not to see the beuty of Nilsson. Bye the way the humoristic way bye Benny Hill to describe are short coming as human, goes the same way (sorry fore poor spelling).

[thesillycunt]

Your English is very bad, not just your spelling!

[Greatfan]

It is amazing how she scales down her voice ! I saw a wonderful version by an excellent argentine soprano years ago. Her name is Marisa Albano, but she is a lyric soprano. Nilsson's technical skills were remarble, a Brünhilde at 44 singing coloratura & Rossini !

[geddafan1]

This is incredible! I read that she loved doing lighter stuff and she thought that she could do good justice to Mozart and Verdi but was never asked. She siad there were so few sopranos to do the big stuff that there was not time and no invitations.

[RobNYNY1957]

Actually, her Eltettra/Idomeneo was one of her early successes. Her Donna Anna was quite (she thought inexplicably) popular in Vienna, and was recorded twice. She performed and recorded some Verdi roles, including Aida, Lady Macbeth, Amelia (all three performed at the Met, and other houses).

[neochmia]

besides as Teresa Berganza said in a master-classe in Paris : La Nilsson used to sing Mozart or Ah perfido to begin training her voice... when some singers have to be trained to sing Mozart it is hopeless, she was unbelievable.

[Royalorgans]

Birgit Nilsson is the "first Lady Of Sopranos"

[VivaCallas]

I'm really pleasantly surprised here. I didn't think Nilsson could sing this piece, but she managed to soften up her voice, and she pulled out all the stops! It won't erase thoughts of the magnificent version sung by the lovely Renata Tebaldi, but it's, still, quite a performance.

[tenormcgee]

is there anything this woman couldn't do?

[BeauTenor]

Norma. She said there were "too many little notes". What an amazing singer.

[BaroquePearl419]

Don't you just sometimes adore the way some greats speak about rep?! "Too many little notes"!

[pambazo55]

Nunca me imagine a Birgit Nilsson a quien identificaba yo como wagneriana cantando a Rossini.

Excepcional realmente excepcional