Kirsten Flagstad - Liebestod - London 1948

[childofdogon]

same tendencies as Nazi germany. Please do not compare. Nazi Germany gassed in the camps several prominent German Jewish opera singers including contralto Ottilie Metzgar who was a Wagnerian Diva in germany

[MrCrs713]

Oh, so beautiful. What a magnificent 'Liebestod'. Truly THE BEST of all time.

[lowenklee]

I don't listen to this piece often, maybe every few months. It's simply too much, and I find myself emotionally overwhelmed. What an unbelievable voice, truly remarkable.

[edro3638]

Thank you God!

[VivaRenata]

Flagstad fundamentalist. No comparison exists.

[richard63545]

The greatest shame IMO is on the United States and the postwar american press and it's sadly ironic that although Flagstad never became an american citizen, all of her direct decendents living today are americans by birth. Imagine how they feel about the way their parent country treated their grandmother or great grandmother based on nothing but lies. That being said there certainly was alot of shame to go around in Europe as well.

[VivaRenata]

Den enda, den eneste, die Einzige, l'unica ,the only one. That's all that can be said.

[MrSkylark1]

Flagstad had a warmer voice than Nilsson who was good in her own way, but certainly

there is no comparison to the chiaroscuro displayed in Flagstad's vocal art. The

political criticism attributed to her was sheer nonsense.

[steriwash1]

This recording sounds like the real Kirsten Flagstad I heard singing the Liebestod with the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1948. I still can picture her beautiful yet humble in my mind and remember her beautiful rendition of the piece--such perfect tone and passion. As a young man at that time I thought that everything but Wagner's music was noise. Now at 86 I still love Flagstad's voice.

[richard63545]

@steriwash1 The Liebestod has always been extremely difficult to sing, and Flagstad is the only soprano, and I mean the only one, that could sing the entire Liebestod without shouting the more difficult notes or without any lack of a smooth legato in the more difficult spots, therein lies her greatness, aside from the shear beauty of her voice and her uncanny ability to hold a note or tone without it wavering or without the slightest hint of an unwanted vibratto. Her voice was one for the ages.

[Piacevole]

@steriwash1 How extremely lucky you were to be able to hear Flagstad live. She comes from my country, and I´m awestruck. I feel that those singers and the music and everything was more appreciated back then. I find it very interesting that both Flagstad and Birgit Nilsson were "simple girls" coming from the country side. I don´t know if it´s significant or not, but there´s this truthfulness to them.

[BritinIsrael]

Always the same argument.................Flags­tad or Nilsson.?

Let's just accept that there has not been a Wagnerian soprano that has come anywhere near the 2 of these GREATS!!!

[Erdrick345]

@BritinIsrael You can't be serious...listen to the magnificent 1936 Flagstad Liebestod at Covent Garden and you must admit that Nilsson is quite beneath her. Actually, no one can even come close to her brilliance. You show a lack of operatic appreciation by your ridiculous comment.

[VivaRenata]

@Erdrick345 Is there an argument ? Every time I "re-listen" to a recording of Flagstad the tears come - stupid Swede that I am. "Tack" Kirsten is all I can say, I don't own the words to express my appreciation for Flagstad.

[lawdocdc89]

@BritinIsrael

I never heard Flagstad live, I was blessed to hear Nilsson, and I add a third soprano, Eileen Farrell whom I heard once in a concert performance, with Bernstein. An equal to these two.

[portoxali]

her voice and natural singing style is really unique, such a creative powerful voice..as if she was destined by devine forces to sing Wagner operas

[edelellingsen]

I love that voice. When i listen to Kirsten Flagstad , i get a feeling i can't explain. I wish i could go back in time and hear her live just once..She makes me proud to be a norwegian.

[VivaRenata]

@edelellingsen I understand you 100%. I have met several people who heard her live. I also studied with Edwin McArthur (coaching) several years in New York during the late 1970's-early 1980's. You shold be proud to be Norwegian - there has never been another voice like this and never will be - from a Swede. PS: I did the program for Swedish radio, P2 on the 100th anniversary of Flagstad's birth in 1995 - hopefully I gave her the tribute she deserved.

[Zva26]

@edelellingsen - be proud and happy. Flagstad was Norway's greatest gift to the world of music. The voice will never be surpassed in Wagner. We all love her.

[jth0134]

It is so hard to listen to any other music after hearing such an awesome interpretation of the pinnacle of musical evolution.

Perfection from beginning to end.

[zuldonna]

To be in heaven is to listen to this recording. Kirsten Flagstad is the voice.the quality and depth of musicianship of her performance is really unforgettable as stated below. Warmth and love of the music, deep in her heart and blood. I die when I hear this.How lucky to have heard her in person in Clevelands farewell concert. Here in Chicago I have heard them all at Lyric Opera..Birgit comes in second. Here is real quality tempo not hurried, depth of interpretation so sincere. I am in heaven.

[sizableone]

Indeed.

[gundhari]

Flagstad wie Immer unvergleichlich. Aber was ist es? Man kann Isolde auch von Birgit oder Jessy hören. Nilson holt weit aus und "stirbt stark";. Auch Jessy Norman setzt leuchtende Momente ein. Aber Kirstens Aufnahme hat den größten künstlerischen Wert. Mit jeder Note "stirbt" sie dem Ende zu. Italiener würden sagen "sie stirbt schön". Die KUNST will nicht bloßes Seelendrama, sie will vor allem Schönheit. Diesen "schönen Tod" hat Flagstad begriffen wie keine andere.

[DinaSalomon1]

Sie war die Isolde an sich, die Heldin, mit der Wagner geträumt hat! Ja, andere Sängerinnen sind gut, aber es wird sehr schwierig, dass andere Isolde wie sie erscheinen wird

[zgopify]

Nilsson had more piercing top notes and could better be heard through the highplaying orcherstras. She could rival Flagstads Brunnhilde but Flagstads Isolde is unbeatable, and hers is the most glorious voice in operatic history...

[gery666]

after this comment means you can't hear well... Flagstad voice is almost 2 times the voice of Nilsson.

Nilsson has a lighter vocal weight

[raigekimaru]

nilsson had less vocal weight, but not volume. bigger voices tend to be less agile, but there are plenty of exceptions such as Edda Moser and Joan Sutherland. nilsson herself with a bigger voice than both of them was able to sing the queen of the night's arias as warmup pieces!

[ravenCLI]

vielen Dank, violinthief! raven

[billyguns2]

1948 was vocally Flagstad's greatest year, by all recorded evidence; the voice was in its absolute healthy prime, as evidenced by this superb Liebestod. Who is the conductor?

[Zva26]

The only Americans that turned against Flagstad after WWII were those ignorant idiots who knew nothing about music. Kirsten Flagstad never collaborated with the Nazis, and the abuse to which she was subjected in the U.S. is to our eternal shame. Hers was the grandest and most gorgeous Wagnerian voice ever - with Birgit Nilsson right immediately along with her. Nilsson had the more reliable top C's, which Flagstad kind of feared and avoided whenever she could. Still a voice without peer.

[pinintra]

@Zva26 americani vili anche con Furtwangler...popolo senza storia, senza civiltà, quando l'Europa era grande con la sua cultura loro avevano i pistoleri e le colt...

[VivaRenata]

@Zva26 Thank you for this well informed and insightful comment. I have read all of the literature, seen the videos and grieve - as do many citizens of the world - of the treatment that Flagstad received in connection with WWII. Grateful to Rudolf Bing, Edwin McArthur and many others. And she was and remains the greatest Wagnerian soprano of all the ages!

[VivaRenata]

@Zva26 Thanks for your comment. There are now several scholars in Scandinavia looking at the unjust treatment - positive or negative - of artists active at that time. Flagstad was without blame and we must thank Rudolph Bing and Bruno Walter for their evaluation of Flagstad. It's only sad that it came too late.

[VivaRenata]

@Zva26 " To our eternal shame". You are absolutely right and just wanted to say that there are a number of scholars in Musicology - Music History who are writing about this at the present moment. A voice without peer - the voice of the century (Århundradets Stemme) - the Norwegians call her, who appreciated her too little, and too late.

[tedly10027]

@Zva26 what you say is indeed a great point. the IRONY is that America at that same time ALSO practically prevented its OWN great contralto Marian Anderson, for being black , to thrive, often shut out of the opera houses and only returned to the USA long after she was celebrated in europe and her voice was past its prime..basically - practicing the SAME tendencies that the Nazis showed.

[sobchakdrums]

i think i'm in love with this woman

[luigicorvi24]

tebaldi comes very close

[se1gl1nde]

Thanks for so many beautiful postings violinthief- but this is the one!

[hiram242]

My Lord, what a voice...one of two "perfect" singers I've ever heard (Ponselle the other). In some ways, she was a misfit in the Opera world, but a lot of the guff she caught was politics.

[fallenleaf25]

What a great interpretation of this song. And what a voice!

Lush, with such purity and emotion, just really lovely.

[vstasov]

Gorgeous. Thank you for posting this. Who is the conductor, please?

[mariasarda]

Aristocrate des notes, Flagstad enchante et distance toutes ses concurrentes par la façon "planante" d'étaler son souffle sur la portée. Majesté et noblesse, mystère et passion sont inextricablement liées dans l'écheveau de sa voix. BRAVISSISSIMA !!!!

[bill2kaygee]

Breathtakingly gorgeous - I am lost in wonder

Bill2kaygee

[delmonaco74]

Que maravilla de canto y de voz!! Para mi es la mejor cantante que la historia ha dado. Está por encima de la Callas.

[belcunto]

owned! (please check out my Norma when you are free, thank you).

Now i know why Joan Sutherland considers Flagstad the best singer of the 20th c.

[j72050]

...well, again......matchless perfection....

[AngelBallerinaHo]

oh wow....-drooleth-

[billyguns2]

Sublime singing and conducting of one of the greatest pieces of music ever written; Flagstad and Furtwangler reached spiritual heights unequaled by any other duo in this music.

[Piacevole]

Birgit Nilsson told in her biography that she used to be in character and stay focused in the long brake from the second act of Tristan until her entry in the 3rd act. She also said that Kirstin Fladstad, on the other hand, used to order a bottle of brandy from the bar in this brake and nit sweaters for her family. Then she put her nitting and brandy away and went on stage and sang like this. hahaha. Amazing.

[VivaRenata]

@Piacevole These are stupid anecdotes. Please read the memoirs of Edwin McArthur on Flagstad and do not perpetuate these idiotic rumors. And if you want to perpetuate them, you might well do so in English. Flagstad commanded that language very well, and several others as well. Deficiente!

[iLoveWagnerOpera]

Forever the best!

[musiclverinnashville]

I am listening to this '48 version of Liebestod right after listening to Flagstad's '36 version which was her debut at Covent Garden. In THIS version, she has clearly grown into the music and handles it like she was singing a lullabye.

I am a HUGE fan of Jessye Norman, and think her Wagnerian readings are some of the most lyrical I have ever heard. But I was introduced to this aria by Flagstad about ten years ago and she has no equal.

She is nothing less than BREATHTAKING singing this.

[doodlydoo3]

rip my heart out!

[Bligh1780]

She has such a pure, hauntingly beautiful voice. Captivating.

[Bligh1780]

Beauty beyond belief. Heaven might exist in this little corner of YouTube.

[cernuous]

@Bligh1780 , What an exquisitely crafted comment.

[ludowicovan]

Is the conductor Furtwaengler?

[uglynancy]

This is divine.

[monibaby2]

Ive finally heard an angel sing!!! Such purity of sound, and pure emotion.

[weepingforbrunnhilde]

And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.

[scargo1013]

THE voice.

[00ceroalaizquierda00]

the best liebestod that I've ever listened!!!! Flagstad was the greatest Isolda, and nowaday she continue been the greatest Isolda....BRAVA FLAGSTAD!!!!!!

[Johnny1206]

This is the most beautiful voice ever!

[tobobba]

Fantastic voice!

[paulostroff99]

Phenominal singing by one of the best ever.We may never hear a better overall performance.Bravo.

[tokyoisfun]

I only wish you had more details about this wonderful recording. This is Wagner at its very best...

[AVikingdad]

As a norwegian I am so proud of Kirsten Flagstad. We even have a papermoney with her portrait! Americans should be ashamed of how they turned against her during WW2.Who saved the Met ?

[tobobba]

Hello.She had a fantastic voice.I have a feeling that Kirsten and Birgit are closed to each other? Nordic sound maybe?

[operamagnus]

Kirsten's voice was much of a nordic one, while Birgit's was much more Italian in sound and production, but with influence from the German school. It sounds like it, at least.

[SDCmorg]

She sure did! I don't know what 'closed to each other' mean, but I think Kirsten had a warmer voice while Birgit had this bright silvery top that sounds colder. Both had humongous big voice, tho. Kirsten... Astrid (Varnay)...and Birgit.. Dunno what is it with the Scandinavians, but they sure make great Wagnerian singers! :o)

[solostan]

I totally agree with you on so much, but don't think all Americans are to blame. Many were aware of the propoganda, but could do nothing about it. What is all telling are the many interviews of singers, conductors, etc, who say it was impossible for Flagstad to have been a sympathizer. Without a doubt, the grandest voice of all time.

[Sigfrid711]

The greatest of ALL!

[peace0ff]

what a lovely woman

[Winn89]

She sounds SO much like Sutherland, it's without a doubt no lie that she was a big part of Joan's inspiration.

[hardytmc]

I think you must mean Sutherland sounds so like Flagstad!

[Johnny1206]

No one can match her , she is PERFECT !