1965

 

2 janvier 1965 : Tristan und Isolde. Scala de Milan. Maazel. Windgassen. Birgit Nilsson (Isolde). Crass. Neidlinger. Corradi. Gorr.

5 janvier 1965 : Tristan und Isolde. Scala de Milan. Maazel. Windgassen. Birgit Nilsson (Isolde). Crass. Neidlinger. Corradi. Gorr.

7 janvier 1965 : Turandot. Scala de Milan. Gavazzeni. Birgit Nilsson (Turandot). Mercuriali. Mazzoli. Corelli. Freni.

13 janvier 1965 : Turandot. Metropolitan Opera de New York. Cleva. Birgit Nilsson (Turandot). Thomas. Amara. Giaiotti. Caruso.

Review of Irving Kolodin in the January 30, 1965 issue of the Saturday Review

Nilsson

Puccini's "Turandot" made a welcome return to the Metropolitan's repertory in mid-January, not only for the visual distinctions of Cecil Beaton's colorful decor, but because it brought a promise of Wagner and Strauss to come. That is to say, the return of Birgit Nilsson, whose vocal quality was prime, her command of Puccini's relentlessly demanding writing as effortless and compelling as ever. Rather than being the homogeneous part of a satisfying whole she was when the production was first directed by Leopold Stokowski in 1960, Miss Nilsson - through no fault of her own - was the radiant light of an otherwise clouded panorama. Jess Thomas's first Calaf was creditable to the American tenor's artistic purposes, but without the ringing vibrance or the stylistic sense to suit the circumstance. He looked well, walked well, tried hard; this is not a Puccini voice. Fausto Cleva's conducting was possibly more of a comfort for the singers than Stokowski's had been, but the electric charge his predecessor generated was conspicuously absent.

16 janvier 1965 : Turandot. Metropolitan Opera de New York. Cleva. Birgit Nilsson (Turandot). Thomas. Amara. Giaiotti. Caruso. ENREGISTREMENT LIVE.

17 janvier 1965 : TOAST OF THE TOWN 18.17. Émission de John Moffitt avec Ed Sullivan, Marty Allen, The Animals, Rex Harrison, Audrey Hepburn, Birgit Nilsson qui chante in questa reggia (Turandot), The Haslevs, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Alan King, George Kirby, Ravic and Babs, Steve Rossi...

22 janvier 1965 : Turandot. Metropolitan Opera de New York. Cleva. Birgit Nilsson (Turandot). Thomas. Stratas. Giaiotti. Caruso.

3 février 1965 : Salomé. Metropolitan Opera de New York. Bohm. Birgit Nilsson (Salomé). Liebl. Dalis. Dooley. Alexander.

Review of Winthrop Sargeant in New Yorker of February 13, 1965
Despite forebodings in some minds, including mine, that our leading Brünnhilde might not make the ideal Salome, Birgit Nilsson's appearance in the title role of Richard Strauss's shocker at the Metropolitan on Wednesday evening of last week was a total triumph. I have never heard the role so magnificently sung. What surprised me, though, was that I have seldom seen it so magnificently acted. With canny theatrical craftsmanship, Miss Nilsson did all the right things. She encased herself in a black leotard and put on a rather flamboyant black wig that minimized the natural squareness of her face. Actually, she looked quite seductive, in a sultry way, and the manner in which she moved about the stage was always graceful. As for the famous Dance of the Seven Veils, it was done as tastefully and convincingly as circumstances permitted. After all, how many full-voiced dramatic sopranos heave really brought off this dance in such a way as to give the illusion of teen-age agility?
...Carefully coached by Alicia Markova, she limited herself to a few bodily twists and shakes, a little rolling on the floor, and a certain amount of waving of two or three, rather than seven, veils. There was not strip-tease effect. During this dance, she had on a black gown, which revealed only the sides of her legs, and she wound up as fully dressed as she started. Nevertheless, there was the distinct illusion that she was bent on seducing Herod and that she had the allure to do it. Maybe clothes make the woman, after all. Preceding and following the dance, the Nilsson voice rang through the auditorium like a thrust of steel, piercing Strauss's heavy orchestration with an ease that was almost casual, except at points like those moments of quiet ecstasy when she was crooning over the head on the platter.

This was a great "Salome" in other respects too. Karl Böhm, in the orchestra pit, brought out and clarified every detail of the score in a way that what often sounds muddy and incoherent became beautiful. Karl Liebl was one of the most impressive Herods I have encountered. Irene Dalis, as Herodias, acted a bit like a Westchester housewife but sang well. I have heard louder Jochanaans that William Dooley, but his singing had subtlety and style. John Alexander was about as fine a Narraboth as you will ever come across, and the minor roles were all well taken.

9 février 1965 : Salomé. Metropolitan Opera de New York. Bohm. Birgit Nilsson (Salomé). Liebl. Dalis. Cassel. Alexander.

14 février 1965 : Turandot. Metropolitan Opera de New York. Cleva. Birgit Nilsson (Turandot). Corelli. Albanese. Giaiotti. Caruso.

22 février 1965 : Die Walkure. Metropolitan Opera de New York. Steinberg. Birgit Nilsson (Brunnhilde). Vickers. Rysanek. London. Dalis. Ward.

Review of Irving Kolodin in the March 13, 1965 issue of the Saturday Review

"Walküre"

William Steinberg's first venture as a Wagner conductor at the Metropolitan coincided with the first performance of "Die Walküre" in three seasons. Presumably this should have provided him with more opportunity to evolve a personal treatment of the work than was the case with "Aida," in which he made his debut there several weeks ago. If the understated, rather anemic sound that emerged from the pit was truly representative of his desires, the estimate of his capacities as an opera conductor will have to be revised.

By comparison with some conductors who have found a pace and momentum for the first act that leads it in an uninterrupted surge from curtain rise to curtain fall, Steinberg's treatment rendered it episodic and nonconsecutive. Such purpose and momentum might have swept aside some momentary shortcomings of his Sieglinde (Leonie Rysanek) and Siegmund (Jon Vickers), but what Steinberg had to offer was slowed and impeded by every obstacle, such as Miss Rysanek's inability to sustain the pitch or Vickers' incapacity to mold his powerful sound into an instrument of ardor or tenderness. Least Wagnerian of the trio was David Ward, whose Hunding had neither the darkness of voice nor the intensity of purpose to make this character properly intimidating. Indeed, so broad-shouldered a Siegmund as Vickers could have taken him on in hand-to-hand combat without the desperate clamor he raised about being "weaponless."

By comparison, George London's first Wotan in this work (he has performed here previously in both Rheingold and Siegfried) was a model of authority, purpose, and dramatic understanding. He not only had the stature for the part, but also a command of the suitable posture and stance for each episode as it presented itself. Playing the role with a lock over one eye and without the traditional helmet left London looking more than a little youthful for his status as the father of virtually everybody in the cast but Hunding and Fricka, but he doubtless believes in accelerated development. He did convey a decision at variance with the youthful appearance and a compassion beyond his visible years.

Vocally London was more at ease with the declamation and drama of the role than he was with its lyricism. It is rare to hear the text delivered with so much clarity, or the colloquy with Fricka so well sustained. The monologue of Act II is a little low for him, as some of the Es and Fs of the third act are high, but I found the dramatic line impressively sustained to a proper climax in the farewell. In the aggregate, as a first-time effort, this was not merely full-fashioned to the needs of the character, but a testimonial to thoroughgoing preparation at the source (Bayreuth).

In the half-dozen years since Birgit Nilsson sang her first Metropolitan Brünnhilde she has grown from a performer of quality to an artist of the first quality. As of 1959, she was very much the youthful daughter dependent on her godfather for strength and guidance. Now, it is clear, she is portraying a Brünnhilde with her own sense of destiny, imbued with a life force that will sustain her beyond the paternal protection. This Miss Nilsson makes clear not only in her powerful but well-shaded singing of Brünuhilde's music, which begins in rejoicing and ends in resignation but is never less than triumphant, but also in her appealing visualization of the role. Dalis outdid herself this time with a spiteful Fricka, and the Valkyries included Mignon Dunn, Helen Vanni, Janis Martin, Joann Grillo, Gladys Kriese, and a new singer, Beverly Bower) were individually and collectively better-sounding than such groups usually are.

27 février 1965 : Salomé. Metropolitan Opera de New York. Bohm. Birgit Nilsson (Salomé). Liebl. Dalis. Cassel. Shirley.

6 mars 1965 : Die Walkure. Metropolitan Opera de New York. Steinberg. Birgit Nilsson (Brunnhilde). Vickers. Rysanek. London. Dalis. Ward. ENREGISTREMENT LIVE.

9 mars 1965 : Die Walkure. Metropolitan Opera de New York. Steinberg. Birgit Nilsson (Brunnhilde). Vickers. Rysanek. London. Dalis. Ward.

13 mars 1965 : Salomé. Metropolitan Opera de New York. Bohm. Birgit Nilsson (Salomé). Liebl. Dalis. Cassel. Shirley. ENREGISTREMENT LIVE.

16 mars 1965 : Salomé. Metropolitan Opera de New York. Bohm. Birgit Nilsson (Salomé). Liebl. Dalis. Dooley. Shirley.

20 mars 1965 : Aida. Metropolitan Opera de New York. Steinberg. Birgit Nilsson (Aida). Tucker. Cernei. McNeil. Tozzi. Sgarro. ENREGISTREMENT LIVE.

25 mars 1965 : Dans le cadre du centenaire de TRISTAN UND ISOLDE, l' Opéra de Paris annonce son intention de monter cette oeuvre avec Birgit Nilsson dans le rôle-titre.

28 mars 1965 : Aida. Metropolitan Opera de New York. Steinberg. Birgit Nilsson (Aida). Corelli. Elias. Sereni. Siepi. Scott.

2 avril 1965 : Die Walkure. Metropolitan Opera de New York. Steinberg. Birgit Nilsson (Brunnhilde). Vickers. Kuchta. Hines. Dunn. Wiemann.

17 avril 1965 : Tosca. Opéra royal de Stockholm. Savini. Birgit Nilsson (Floria Tosca). Ulfung. Bjorling.

19 avril 1965 : Tosca. Opéra royal de Stockholm. Savini. Birgit Nilsson (Floria Tosca). Ulfung. Bjorling.

14 mai 1965 : Elektra. Opéra royal de Stockholm. Klobucar. Ericson. Birgit Nilsson (Elektra). Lindholm. Jehrlander. Saeden.

15 mai 1965 : Tannhauser. Opéra de Caracas. Suitner. Birgit Nilsson (Vénus / Elisabeth). Hines. Parly. Stewart. ENREGISTREMENT LIVE.

17 mai 1965 : Elektra. Opéra royal de Stockholm. Klobucar. Ericson. Birgit Nilsson (Elektra). Lindholm. Jehrlander. Saeden.

20 mai 1965 : Elektra. Opéra royal de Stockholm. Klobucar. Ericson. Birgit Nilsson (Elektra). Lindholm. Jehrlander. Saeden.

26 mai 1965 : Elektra. Opéra royal de Stockholm. Klobucar. Ericson. Birgit Nilsson (Elektra). Lindholm. Jehrlander. Saeden. ENREGISTREMENT LIVE.

1 juin 1965 (?) : Tristan und Isolde. Opéra de Caracas. Suitner. Thomas. Nilsson. Dalis. Roar. Tozzi. Knetlar. ENREGISTREMENT LIVE.

12 juin 1965 : Fidelio. Munich Prinzregentheater. Birgit Nilsson (Leonore)

26 juillet 1965 : Die Walkure. Festival de Bayreuth. Bohm. King. Talvela. Adam. Birgit Nilsson (Brunnhilde). Rysanek. Boese. ENREGISTREMENT LIVE.

28 juillet 1965 : Siegfried. Festival de Bayreuth. Bohm. Windgassen. Birgit Nilsson (Brunnhilde). Wohlfahrt. Greindl. Neidlinger. Bohme. Chookasian. ENREGISTREMENT LIVE.

30 juillet 1965 : Die Gotterdammerung. Festival de Bayreuth. Bohm. Windgassen. Birgit Nilsson (Brunnhilde). Stewart. Dvorakova. Greindl. Meyer. Neidlinger. ENREGISTREMENT LIVE.

14 août 1965 : Die Walkure. Festival de Bayreuth. Bohm. King. Talvela. Adam. Birgit Nilsson (Brunnhilde). Rysanek. Boese.

16 août 1965 : Siegfried. Festival de Bayreuth. Bohm. Windgassen. Birgit Nilsson (Brunnhilde). Wohlfahrt. Greindl. Neidlinger. Bohme. Chookasian.

18 août 1965 : Die Gotterdammerung. Festival de Bayreuth. Bohm. Windgassen. Birgit Nilsson (Brunnhilde). Stewart. Dvorakova. Greindl. Meyer. Neidlinger.

3 septembre 1965 : Turandot. Teatro Colon Buenos Aires. Previtali. Birgit Nilsson / Gladys Kuchta (Turandot). Pasini. De Narke / Algorta. Uzunov. Caballe.

5 septembre 1965 : Turandot. Teatro Colon Buenos Aires. Previtali. Birgit Nilsson / Gladys Kuchta (Turandot). Pasini. De Narke / Algorta. Uzunov. Caballe.

8 septembre 1965 : Turandot. Teatro Colon Buenos Aires. Previtali. Birgit Nilsson (Turandot). Pasini. De Narke / Algorta. Uzunov. Caballe. ENREGISTREMENT LIVE.

11 septembre 1965 : Turandot. Teatro Colon Buenos Aires. Previtali. Birgit Nilsson / Gladys Kuchta (Turandot). Pasini. De Narke / Algorta. Uzunov. Caballe.

14 septembre 1965 : Turandot. Teatro Colon Buenos Aires. Previtali. Birgit Nilsson / Gladys Kuchta (Turandot). Pasini. De Narke / Algorta. Uzunov. Caballe.

16 septembre 1965 : Salomé. Teatro Colon Buenos Aires. Sebastian / Kinsky. Uhl. Hoffman. Birgit Nilsson (Salomé). Waechter / Noecker. Sassola.

19 septembre 1965 : Salomé. Teatro Colon Buenos Aires. Sebastian / Kinsky. Uhl. Hoffman. Birgit Nilsson (Salomé). Waechter / Noecker. Sassola.

21 septembre 1965 : Salomé. Teatro Colon Buenos Aires. Sebastian. Birgit Nilsson (Salomé). Wachter. Uhl. Hoffman. Sassola. ENREGISTREMENT LIVE.

25 septembre 1965 : Salomé. Teatro Colon Buenos Aires. Sebastian / Kinsky. Uhl. Hoffman. Birgit Nilsson (Salomé). Waechter / Noecker. Sassola.

28 septembre 1965 : Salomé. Teatro Colon Buenos Aires. Sebastian / Kinsky. Uhl. Hoffman. Birgit Nilsson (Salomé). Waechter / Noecker. Sassola.

12 octobre 1965 : Turandot. Philadelphie. Guadagno. Corelli. Birgit Nilsson (Turandot). Reale. Flagello. ENREGISTREMENT LIVE.

17 octobre 1965 : Concert Philharmonic Hall, New York.

21 octobre 1965 : Tosca. Opéra royal de Stockholm. Savini. Birgit Nilsson (Floria Tosca). Ulfung. Saeden.

29 octobre au 19 novembre 1965 : Die Walkure. Vienne Sofiensaal. Solti. King. Frick. Hotter. Birgit Nilsson (Brunnhilde). Crespin. Ludwig. ENREGISTREMENT STUDIO.

31 octobre 1965 : Elektra. Opéra royal de Stockholm. Klobucar. Ericson. Birgit Nilsson (Elektra). Lindholm. Jehrlander. Saeden.

21 novembre 1965 : Turandot. Staatsoper Vienne. Klobucar. Birgit Nilsson (Turandot). Klein. Franc. McCracken. Lotte Rysanek.

28 novembre 1965 : Tristan und Isolde. Staatsoper Vienne. Hollreiser. Windgassen. Hotter. Birgit Nilsson (Isolde). Wiener. Braun. Burmeister.

2 décembre 1965 : Turandot. Staatsoper Vienne. Klobucar. Birgit Nilsson (Turandot). Equiluz. Franc. Uzunov. Lotte Rysanek.

5 décembre 1965 : AUS BURG UND OPER. Heinz Fischer-Karwin : Gespraech mit Birgit Nilsson (interview)

5 décembre 1965 : Die Walkure. Staatsoper Vienne. Klobucar. Windgassen. Kreppel. Hotter. Birgit Nilsson (Brunnhilde). Rysanek. Resnik. ENREGISTREMENT LIVE.

16 décembre 1965 : Elektra. Staatsoper Vienne. Bohm. Resnik. Birgit Nilsson (Elektra). Rysanek. Windgassen. Waechter.

20 décembre 1965 : Elektra. Staatsoper Vienne. Bohm. Resnik. Birgit Nilsson (Elektra). Rysanek. Windgassen. Waechter.

22 décembre 1965 : Elektra. Staatsoper Vienne. Bohm. Resnik. Birgit Nilsson (Elektra). Rysanek. Windgassen. Waechter. ENREGISTREMENT LIVE.

26 décembre 1965 : Diffusion à la TV de THE GOLDEN RING. SUNDAY NIGHT 1.11. Film documentaire. Narration de Humphrey Burton. Avec Dietrich Fischer -Dieskau, Gottlob Frick, Birgit Nilsson, Claire Watson, Wolfgang Windgassen, Georg Solti. Enregistrement video.

29 décembre 1965 : Fidelio. Opéra royal de Stockholm. Westerberg. Sundquist. Naslund. Hoiseth. Birgit Nilsson (Leonore). Tyren. Andersson. Jacobsson.

Date inconnue : Turandot. Rome. Molinari-Pradelli. Corelli. Birgit Nilsson (Turandot). Scotto. Giaiotti. ENREGISTREMENT STUDIO.

Mise à jour : 20230521 Pierre Marchais