Music · 1918–2005
Born: 17 May 1918 · Died: 25 December 2005 · Age at death: 87
Birgit Nilsson died aged 87. She was born on 17 May 1918 and died on 25 December 2005.
Swedish dramatic soprano renowned for her huge voice as Isolde, Brünnhilde and Turandot, and one of the greatest Wagner singers
Did you know?She was known for her sense of humour and once wore a miner's helmet with a searchlight during a particularly dark rehearsal.
Birgit Nilsson had a voice big enough to cut through Wagner's largest orchestras. She grew up on a farm in southern Sweden and sang in local church choirs as a girl. After training in Stockholm she joined the Royal Swedish Opera. By the late 1950s she was the leading Wagner soprano in the world, famous as Isolde and as Brünnhilde in the Ring cycle. She sang Brünnhilde on Georg Solti's landmark studio recording of the Ring. She was also a celebrated Turandot and Elektra. Her wit was as sharp as her top notes, and her clashes with conductors became the stuff of opera legend. She sang on until the 1980s.
Märta Birgit Nilsson (17 May 1918 – 25 December 2005) was a Swedish dramatic soprano. Although she sang a wide repertoire of operatic and vocal works, Nilsson was best known for her performances in the operas of Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss.
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Profile
Swedish soprano, born 1918
Birgit Nilsson was born in Västra Karup on 17 May 1918.
She was celebrated as Isolde and Brünnhilde.
She sang on Georg Solti's studio Ring recording.
She died on 25 December 2005.
Career highlights
Did you know?She appeared on a Swedish 100-kronor banknote.
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