The best thing I saw in 2025 was Christina Nilsson in Aïda

Christina Nilsson‘s successful Met debut as Aïda was for me one of the shining highlights of the 2025 season.

This young, fresh-sounding Swedish soprano with a large lyric voice of silver and thread of steel, brought to the Met the most accomplished vocal command of this deceptively demanding role that I have heard since the heyday of Ms. Millo and, of course, Ms. Leontyne. Her “O patria mia” with its seemingly effortless ascent to a sustained high C, followed by an impressive descent from the note, is a feat I thought I would never hear again in this lifetime. I hope she returns soon in other roles. Agathe? Elsa? Elisabeth?

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