Prelude and "Liebestod" from Tristan und Isolde 3/3

The New York Philharmonic along with the great Jessye Norman perform the Prelude and "Liebestod" from Wagner's Tristan und Isolde at the Avery Fisher Hall with Zubin Mehta.

Performed at the opening of the 1989-90 season. Part three of three.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Wagner
• Prelude
• and
• Liebestod
• Tristan
• und
• Isolde
• New
• York
• Philharmonic
• Zubin
• Mehta
• Jessye
• Norman
• classical

[samuelus12]

I remember seeing this great soprano on PBS, and I immediately knew she was the greatest living soprano in my lifetime.

[ledormant]

God is a black woman.

[intelegentable]

Jessye Norman could have taken over the roles Nilsson did at the Met. There have been few black singers who did Wagner on Opera stages,Estes, Bumbry, Arroyo, come to mind Norman did do Sieglinde at the Met but her Isolde, Brunhilde, would have been marvelous to see and hear. Thank God for the concerts and recordings and the Strauss Operas, but I long for her to have done Wagner and to have done the Verdi roles like Leonora, Abigaille,Elvira,Aida,alas it did not happen.

[Sodhats]

@kth8mitch What?

[kth8mitch]

Warning: Don't watch this video for more than 4 hours at a stretch.... You can easily toast your lieber

[ruizdechavez]

Jessye Norman nos muestra todo su encanto con su excelsa vos en su magnífica interpretación de la muerte de Isolda. Tal vez, tal vez, la mejor Isolda que hayamos oído. 

[sirjuandabicho]

Magnífica interpretación, muchas gracias por compartirla.

[Conoror536]

@arnoldgiordani While I would never argue with her stamina, vocal capabilities, and emotive expressionism, I respectfully disagree mainly because I simply find Kirsten Flagstad's vocal acrobatics (especially in the sublime "pre-climax" build-up) more impressive. There are numerous videos of sopranos able to sing at a 7-9 minute pace (although this one here is quite good), but there are very few performances that are around 6 minutes because quick agility AND hugeness are so rare to have.

[arnoldogiordani]

@Conoror536 She was one of the few people who could sustain that volume of seamless, voluptuous, rapturous sound for that length of time and intensity. There are other ways to sing "these special pieces"; but, God, what a way she had!

[Rockykratter]

haha so happy at 3:08.