It's wonderful that this document exists of course, but her great ELEKTRAs were between 1965 and 1975, when the voice still had that sledgehammer top range. Here one is full of admiration for her stamina at age 62+, but she is documented too late. Thankfully there is ample audio evidence of her absolute mastery of the role from her prime years. I heard her sing it in Vienna in 1973 and it's the peak operatic experience of my life. The astonishing top C's, the volume and the startling Recognition Scene where she vaulted those ppppp high top notes and swelled them to FFFFFF! The geshrei that greeted her first curtain call and the 40 minutes of applause that followed....
I envy you so much for having heard her Elektra live... it would be my dream to... also here, in 1980, she still does the ppp to fff in the recognition scene perfectly. The anguish in her "Agamemnon! Agamemnon" from the monologue and "Agamemnon hört dich" from the finale, in the 1980 version, is something we cannot find in her other performances. And at this point of her career, her musicality has developed a lot more compared the late 60's - early 70's, which you can hear quite obviously throughout the finale. Yes, in 1980 she might not have the sledgehammer top for "Was bluten muß" and "Sei verflucht", but Elektra is not all about the explosive high notes, but moreso the general interpretation and musicality of Strauss' genius masterpiece. Thank you for your comment, I really appreciated it!
So glad to hear others' remembrances of those stupendous events. Yes, what a Geshrei from the audience and no one ever wanted to leave the theater. At a Turandot in Wiesbaden, the applause would not stop so they brought the firewall down, locking her out. She coyly knocked on the performers' door and turned around and mischievously grinned at the audience, exciting everyone all over again.
You nailed it 100%. It was a transcendent experience. I had a difficult time remembering this is a human being MAKING THIS HAPPEN. I tended to think, with Nilsson, as I was buying a ticket, it was like going to see Niagara, or the Grand Canyon , fixed marvels of nature. I was shocked into the realization , this is no fixture of nature, it is a woman working miracles😢 in time.
At this point Nilsson was in that luxurious trap: the only singer she could be compared to was her younger self, a frightening prospect for anyone else and a new one for her. Still so much voice though, still astonishing ❤️
I consider her 1980 rendition of this role the finest. Although vocally she is only a fraction of what she was previously, but her characterization here is absolutely stunning.
@@BestOperaMoments Oh she is absolutely getting every drop of meaning out of the text, her use of dynamics are first rate as well. I understand she didn’t like recording? Makes sense that her live performances are always so much more satisfying, a whole character comes through, not a negotiation with a sound engineer that can’t deal with her voice lol Thanks for posting the video btw 👍🏽
i was lucky enough to see this twice in one week at the met. the second one was this taping. it was unimaginably stupendous in person. the audience went rightfully insane! we'll never see her like again! so lucky to have witnessed her in her greatness!
Birgit Nilsson truly embodied Elektra's avenging anguish, troubled pain, and steely resolve with abandon thanks to her super sturdy technique and how she has kept her voice in mint condition for several years, which I have to applaud her for.
As much as I love Birgit Nilsson as Elektra, I also love Rose Pauly, Gertrude Rünger, Anny Konetzni, Erna Schlüter, Gertrude Grob-Prandl, Ingrid Steger, Sigrid Kehl, Nadezda Kniplova, Danica Mastilovic, Janis Martin, and Isolde Elchlepp because of their sheer vocal power, especially where Grob-Prandl is concerned with those super blazing high notes and laser-like incision to convey Elektra's fury enveloped in the need for power and vengeance against Klytämnestra and Aegisth.
My favourite part would be when Birgit Nilsson opens her mouth. jokes aside, I believe that Elektra's dance has the potential to be the best piece of music ever written. It's much much better than Salome's dance, which is already incredibly good.
I am big fan of Nilsson, though in this opera prefer Astrid Varnay (but Elektra is too much modern for me- in XX century opera I listen most willingly Puccini and Britten). Varnay is probably my favourite soprano (ofc- after Callas). Thanks for links to Rossini operas :). Have you full recordings of Siepi's performance in Parsifal?
As much respect, I harbour for Ms Nilsson, and I do, I must confess that there have been many Elektras far better than her, especially considering the state of vocal degeneration in her later years. Varnay and Borkh come to mind when speaking of two singers who have more than just conquered but also defined the role, whose vocal and dramatic means were either greater or equal to those of Nilsson. Rose Pauly is a soprano of the olden days who might be the best Elektra on record, according to my taste of course. BUT Nilsson is the only singer I am aware of, that sang "Was bluten muss?!" without the cut as Strauss had intended, she also had an instrument which through its sheer size could summon the hysteria and craze that no doubt possess Elektra throughout the opera. All in all, I am rather disappointed you did not include all the other great women who sang this role, though quite honestly I am rather sure that the best Elektras sang before recording was established. As for our recorded age, we still wait for the chosen one to appear that we can call a definitive Elektra.
Sorry but I need to be honest - there is no emotion in her voice or physical performance. She is sadly guilty of the same problem both vocally and physically and that is overacting. If you want to hear a good nuanced rendition of Elektra, look up Kirsten Flagstad singing the aria "Orest". In that one aria, she does what, sadly, Birgit failed to learn to do, and its a shame because her vocal technique alone IS solid, but that alone does not make a good performance. You need to learn and have both solid technique, dynamic, declamation, and delivery skills - as Maria Callas and a minority of truly great opera singers proved.
It's a rare case where I can see where you're coming from, but I would concur with what you've expressed about Flagstad's rendition. However, I still hold my opinion on Nilsson, I respect your opinion so each to their own.
The voice was ice cold and I don’t think was suited to every role she sang. But I cannot argue the technique and stamina. Formidable. Listen to her sing those Sibelius songs with orchestra and everything about her makes sense.
@@WotanKlingsor Flagstad had a much bigger middle and low, but the top wasn't reliable, Nilsson had a laser beam high, but the middle wasn't particularly big in theatre and her low was weak. Nilsson is the perfect Brünnhilde, Flagstad is the perfect Isolde.
![ลองสุ่มไอโฟน 990 โกงมั้ย? [ โกงมั้ยครับ ep.101 ] | DOM](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/bfsWe0j492k/mqdefault.jpg)
It's wonderful that this document exists of course, but her great ELEKTRAs were between 1965 and 1975, when the voice still had that sledgehammer top range. Here one is full of admiration for her stamina at age 62+, but she is documented too late. Thankfully there is ample audio evidence of her absolute mastery of the role from her prime years. I heard her sing it in Vienna in 1973 and it's the peak operatic experience of my life. The astonishing top C's, the volume and the startling Recognition Scene where she vaulted those ppppp high top notes and swelled them to FFFFFF! The geshrei that greeted her first curtain call and the 40 minutes of applause that followed....
I envy you so much for having heard her Elektra live... it would be my dream to...
also here, in 1980, she still does the ppp to fff in the recognition scene perfectly. The anguish in her "Agamemnon! Agamemnon" from the monologue and "Agamemnon hört dich" from the finale, in the 1980 version, is something we cannot find in her other performances. And at this point of her career, her musicality has developed a lot more compared the late 60's - early 70's, which you can hear quite obviously throughout the finale. Yes, in 1980 she might not have the sledgehammer top for "Was bluten muß" and "Sei verflucht", but Elektra is not all about the explosive high notes, but moreso the general interpretation and musicality of Strauss' genius masterpiece.
Thank you for your comment, I really appreciated it!
So glad to hear others' remembrances of those stupendous events. Yes, what a Geshrei from the audience and no one ever wanted to leave the theater. At a Turandot in Wiesbaden, the applause would not stop so they brought the firewall down, locking her out. She coyly knocked on the performers' door and turned around and mischievously grinned at the audience, exciting everyone all over again.
You nailed it 100%. It was a transcendent experience. I had a difficult time remembering this is a human being MAKING THIS HAPPEN. I tended to think, with Nilsson, as I was buying a ticket, it was like going to see Niagara, or the Grand Canyon , fixed marvels of nature. I was shocked into the realization , this is no fixture of nature, it is a woman working miracles😢 in time.
What a compilation! Music that shatters and that only Strauss can compose.
At this point Nilsson was in that luxurious trap: the only singer she could be compared to was her younger self, a frightening prospect for anyone else and a new one for her. Still so much voice though, still astonishing ❤️
I consider her 1980 rendition of this role the finest. Although vocally she is only a fraction of what she was previously, but her characterization here is absolutely stunning.
@@BestOperaMoments Oh she is absolutely getting every drop of meaning out of the text, her use of dynamics are first rate as well. I understand she didn’t like recording? Makes sense that her live performances are always so much more satisfying, a whole character comes through, not a negotiation with a sound engineer that can’t deal with her voice lol Thanks for posting the video btw 👍🏽
You do realize most of this is “re-mixed” from the Decca recording???
The magnificence in this music sung by these two titans in opera is just more than anyone can experience. Stupendous 👏👏
i was lucky enough to see this twice in one week at the met. the second one was this taping. it was unimaginably stupendous in person. the audience went rightfully insane! we'll never see her like again! so lucky to have witnessed her in her greatness!
what exact in - house tapes exists?
Elektras dance and the ending - almost unbelievable; what music, what sining, what emotions!
"You're now watching the Birgit Nilsson."
Birgit Nilsson truly embodied Elektra's avenging anguish, troubled pain, and steely resolve with abandon thanks to her super sturdy technique and how she has kept her voice in mint condition for several years, which I have to applaud her for.
At the age of 62….sang her ass off!
shut up and dance...I love it
As much as I love Birgit Nilsson as Elektra, I also love Rose Pauly, Gertrude Rünger, Anny Konetzni, Erna Schlüter, Gertrude Grob-Prandl, Ingrid Steger, Sigrid Kehl, Nadezda Kniplova, Danica Mastilovic, Janis Martin, and Isolde Elchlepp because of their sheer vocal power, especially where Grob-Prandl is concerned with those super blazing high notes and laser-like incision to convey Elektra's fury enveloped in the need for power and vengeance against Klytämnestra and Aegisth.
My favorite parts would be Elektra's dance and the section where Elektra persuades her sister for her help.
My favourite part would be when Birgit Nilsson opens her mouth.
jokes aside, I believe that Elektra's dance has the potential to be the best piece of music ever written. It's much much better than Salome's dance, which is already incredibly good.
Yes, it is veritably a great piece of music! If not too demanding, can you perhaps do a ' Best moments of Die Meistersinger von Nürenberg '?
@@ValzainLumivix I'll add that to my list
Thank you!
I enjoyed your commentary!
Thank you!
Was the live sound not available? In any case, this was great to see. Thanks for posting.
No, she was flat there
aren't the last words rather "Orest ! Orest !" ?
I am big fan of Nilsson, though in this opera prefer Astrid Varnay (but Elektra is too much modern for me- in XX century opera I listen most willingly Puccini and Britten). Varnay is probably my favourite soprano (ofc- after Callas).
Thanks for links to Rossini operas :). Have you full recordings of Siepi's performance in Parsifal?
Looking for the Parsifal(s).
@@BestOperaMoments thanks. This is my favourite wagnerian opera.
As much respect, I harbour for Ms Nilsson, and I do, I must confess that there have been many Elektras far better than her, especially considering the state of vocal degeneration in her later years. Varnay and Borkh come to mind when speaking of two singers who have more than just conquered but also defined the role, whose vocal and dramatic means were either greater or equal to those of Nilsson. Rose Pauly is a soprano of the olden days who might be the best Elektra on record, according to my taste of course. BUT Nilsson is the only singer I am aware of, that sang "Was bluten muss?!" without the cut as Strauss had intended, she also had an instrument which through its sheer size could summon the hysteria and craze that no doubt possess Elektra throughout the opera. All in all, I am rather disappointed you did not include all the other great women who sang this role, though quite honestly I am rather sure that the best Elektras sang before recording was established. As for our recorded age, we still wait for the chosen one to appear that we can call a definitive Elektra.
Flat as hell
You too
Dreadful
You too
Sorry but I need to be honest - there is no emotion in her voice or physical performance. She is sadly guilty of the same problem both vocally and physically and that is overacting. If you want to hear a good nuanced rendition of Elektra, look up Kirsten Flagstad singing the aria "Orest". In that one aria, she does what, sadly, Birgit failed to learn to do, and its a shame because her vocal technique alone IS solid, but that alone does not make a good performance. You need to learn and have both solid technique, dynamic, declamation, and delivery skills - as Maria Callas and a minority of truly great opera singers proved.
It's a rare case where I can see where you're coming from, but I would concur with what you've expressed about Flagstad's rendition. However, I still hold my opinion on Nilsson, I respect your opinion so each to their own.
You are unfortunately a musical ignoramus.
Nilsson had much better low notes than Flagstad... and used the chest register much more and that made her singing much more exciting
The voice was ice cold and I don’t think was suited to every role she sang. But I cannot argue the technique and stamina. Formidable. Listen to her sing those Sibelius songs with orchestra and everything about her makes sense.
@@WotanKlingsor Flagstad had a much bigger middle and low, but the top wasn't reliable, Nilsson had a laser beam high, but the middle wasn't particularly big in theatre and her low was weak. Nilsson is the perfect Brünnhilde, Flagstad is the perfect Isolde.