parterre box

99 comments

• CruzSF says:

  This is so cool. A vote of confidence from the La Nilsson Prize people.

  on October 19, 2009 at 3:33 PM
• Lucky Pierre says:

  have you people heard verrett’s live version with NY Phil and ZM? it’s on youtube. pretty good too.

  on October 19, 2009 at 3:37 PM
• Lucky Pierre says:

  oh my, that last note was a bit tremulous, but overall, pretty good.

  on October 19, 2009 at 3:48 PM
• La Cieca says:

  The Verrett version is indeed on YouTube:

  Perhaps members of the cher public would like to post some of their favorite “Liebestods” in this comments section.

  on October 19, 2009 at 3:51 PM
• squirrel says:

  radiant!

  Why the hell did Placido win this? Could Ms Nilsson’s money not have been spent better offering grants to younger artists? Domingo has no use for a million dollars.

  on October 19, 2009 at 3:53 PM
• La Cieca says:

  He won it because Nilsson named him the first recipient: that’s the short answer.

  Long answer: he fits the criteria.

  Towards the end of her long and distinguished career, the legendary Swedish dramatic soprano Birgit Nilsson decided to establish a foundation for a prize to be awarded every second or third year in the amount of one million dollars for outstanding achievements by

  (a) a singer in the field of opera or concert or oratorio, or
  (b) a conductor in the classical field of opera or concert, or
  (c) a specific production by an opera company, as long as this production is outstandingly cast and conducted and, most importantly, staged in the spirit of the composer.

  Extended answer: Domingo has already announced he plans to use the prize money “to create a new prize to find the best Wagnerian soprano in honour of Nilsson’s most famous work.” [BBC News]

  on October 19, 2009 at 4:00 PM
• senti questa says:

  more stemme love! this is stunning, thank you so much for posting. i love the rich lower/middle register she brings to this role. (too bad about the ‘lust’ but honestly who can sing that damned note?) i dare say this is some of the most moving singing i’ve heard from her.

  incidentally my faves are probably nilsson and stemme, nilsson from this ’64 performance in sweden:

  and we all know waltraud’s vocal weaknesses but moving all the same, and i just love müller’s staging, the closest to a real transfiguration i’ve seen:

  on October 19, 2009 at 4:26 PM
• enzo says:

  To hear it sung gorgeously, go to youtube and enter flagstad liebestod.
  I think it’s incomparable.

  on October 19, 2009 at 5:00 PM
• richard says:

  My favorite Liebestod is Flagstad’s first recording, for Victor 1935, the year of her Met debut. I don’t see that one on youtube.

  on October 19, 2009 at 5:12 PM
• squirrel says:

  Cieca
  Thank you for the background, and for the multiple narratives. He fits the profile (“a singer who is excellently excellent, with excellence”), but so do a number of younger artists. Domingo is classy, to be doing what he is doing, although I can’t help but find it weird to be using award money to set up another award fund.

  I just question the decision to offer the award to people who are already getting paid big bucks to do what they do so damned excellently. Younger artists need help. They get a bit of work here and there but have lots of bills to pay. The Avery Fisher Career Grant, which I think goes only to up and coming instrumentalist, is an example of a productive use of the money.

  If the money is intended to give to people who have no use for it, and those recipients, flattered no doubt by being selected, use the cash to fund more productive causes, then Nilsson could have just spared everyone the confusion and created a philanthropic foundation instead.

  Just ask me, I know everything

  on October 19, 2009 at 5:13 PM