La Nilsson: My Life in Opera by Birgit Nilsson
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Book Reviews of La Nilsson: My Life in Opera
Book Review: I Wish I Could have Known Her!
Summary: 5 Stars
I was never privileged to meet or know Madame Nilsson personally, but her memoir, _La Nilsson: My Life in Opera_ makes me wish I could! She was a bright spot in the world and her death in late 2005 was a huge loss. I have certainly been an admirer of both her singing and of the woman herself for many years. I do own her earlier book, _My Memoirs In Picures_, which is largely a wonderful collection of photographs from her life and career, and whetted my appetite to know more about her. If you can find a copy, I recommend that book as strongly as I recommend this longer memoir.
That appetite has been mostly--if not completely--satisfied by La Nilsson, an easy, accessible and "can't-put-it-down" fascinating account of her life. This book is just what I would expect of Birgit Nilsson, unpretentious, friendly and conversational in tone, but awe-inspiring in terms of her artistry and long career; her great accumulation of knowledge and experience, and about comic moments onstage and off that made me laugh out loud. Some of the funniest of these deal with language barriers, and the difficulties of correctly interpreting foreign musical terms that were misheard, or misunderstood. She is never mean in spirit, although she doesn't sugarcoat her personal difficulties with von Karajan, and sometimes with Karl Bohm, and Rudolf Bing. But in all cases, she writes in detail about what she admired about them, too. She gave as good as she got in the area of verbal self-defense.
She writes warmly about all her many long-time friends and colleagues on the operatic stage, most notably Wolfgang Windgassen, Set Svanholm, Jon Vickers, Astrid Varnay, Leonie Rysanek, and Hans Hotter. She was a trouper through some harrowing experiences, and while she did not put up with a lack of professional consideration from anyone, she did not just wilfully indulge in "temperamental diva" behavior. No wonder so many of her colleagues loved and respected her!
Madame Nilsson also writes about her parents and her beloved husband, Bertil Niklasson, with great warmth, although she doesn't gloss over some of her frustrations with both parents during her childhood and adolescence. The twelve years she had to deal with her stalker, Miss N. filled me with sympathetic dismay, as I had no idea Madame Nilsson had had to endure that persistent, threatening intrusion into her life.
I highly recommend this memoir to any admirer of Madame Nilsson's in particular and of any interested opera fan in general for the insight into the career of one of the great singers of the 20th century in her own, very witty words.
Melissa Houle
Book Review: Nilsson as a Warm, Funny, Unpretentious Woman
Summary: 5 Stars
This autobiography by Birgit Nilsson was originally published in Swedish in 1995 and in German two years later. This 2007 English translation of the German edition is by Doris Jung Popper, an American who was herself a former Wagnerian singer in Europe. It is for the most part in graceful, witty and seamless prose which catches the informal and down-to-earth way Nilsson spoke. We are taken from Nilsson's life as a farm girl in Sweden through her discovery locally, her schooling in Stockholm, her first breakthrough there and then internationally and her acclaim as the greatest Wagnerian soprano since Kirsten Flagstad. We get backstage stories about performances in New York, Milan, Stockholm, Vienna, London and, of course, Bayreuth. We read about her long happy marriage to Bertil Niklasson, a veterinarian. She shares funny and warm stories about her colleagues, not sparing those with whom she crossed swords -- most notably Rudolf Bing and, much more so, Herbert von Karajan, for whom she is particularly disdainful while admitting that he could draw magnificent music from his performers. She relates the details of her having to deal with her stalker, Miss N., a story well-known in opera circles but which may come as a surprise to some readers. One senses that Nilsson withholds some details in the interest of sparing the feelings of some opera world luminaries who are still with us. This reflects positively on her genuine concern for the feelings of others but might disappoint those who are looking for 'dirt.' There is a discography and a detailed chart outlining events in her life, as well as a compendious index. As well, there are over 60 black-and-white photographs from all periods of her life.
Warmly recommended.
Scott Morrison
Book Review: Nilsson writing "sounds" like Nilsson speaking.
Summary: 5 Stars
Birgit Nilsson wrote like she spoke! I couldn't believe how well this came across even in an English translation. It was like listening to her in Robert Merrill's documentary, I Live For Art -- Tosca. The chronology of her career was such that she sang with all the great tenors of the 20th century, ranging from Gigli to Carrerras. As she said to Robert Merrill, Oh, she had a real good time! Read all about it in her autobiography.
No false modesty here! And, why would we expect that? She was tremendous! Even so, she freely relates the rare occasions when she flopped. So you get the warts as well as the success.
As other reviewers noted, this is pretty much loaded with documentary of Nilsson's performances here, there and everywhere.
But, it's not just a travelogue. You will find lots on information on how she approached various roles.
On the "dirt": Nillson dispels the legend that Corelli bit her. He probably wanted to, thought about it, fantasized about it, but in the end, he didn't do it. Good thinking on his part. God knows what she would have done to him.
Nilsson dealt with an extended, expensive and frightening experience with a stalker. We don't usually think of classical musicians having this problem. Traveling alone, as Nilsson often did, she was particularly vulnerable.
Book Review: A witty, warm and very personal biography
Summary: 5 Stars
At last an English translation of this wonderful biography. It is written by Ms. Nilsson herself - no ghost writer here. It is translated from the German edition, not the Swedish one. It also exists a Danish translation. In both the German and English translations some short episodes are deleted. The original Swedish version also exists as a talking book, with Ms. Nilsson herself speaking. The book is filled with lots of interesting details from one of the most spectacular careers ever on the international opera scene. Behind every word you can feel the sympathy and warmth of a really great but also earthbound star with great intelligence and - a great hearth. When famous film director Ingmar Bergman read these memoirs he tells in an interview that he had never laughed so much and so often when reading a memoir before. That says a lot. A must for all opera fans.Book Review: For the Operafile, Wagnerite or Nilssonite, this is for you!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Nilsson writes a readable and enjoyable book about her career.
Those who have followed her will already be familiar with some of the stories but there are more details... One story she recounts which I had never heard or read anywhere was one that she tells of being pursued by a relentless stalker.
I myself worked with her professionally and can vouch for the fact that she was a warm and funny person who despite her self-assuredness onstage could express vulnerability when she was with you in a one-to-one setting. The book has moments that give the reader this sense.
She doesn't "tell all" but does "tell some" quite nicely. She was unique.
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