The legendary Swedish dramatic soprano Birgit Nilsson established a foundation for a prize to be awarded for outstanding achievement in opera and concert.

Birgit Nilsson

Birgit Nilsson

Relive some of Birgit Nilsson’s greatest moments with this selection of pictures and videos.
All photo rights are cleared by the Birgit Nilsson Foundation.

Birgit Nilsson Centenary exhibition at Metropolitan Opera, New York (Season 2018/2019)

Download / Beth Bergman
Stockholm

Download / 1942 ©Birgit Nilsson Museum
Erstes Konzertkleid 1942©Birgit Nilsson Museum

Download / 1942 ©Birgit Nilsson Museum
At home, Atelier Soelling

Download / ©Birgit Nilsson Museum
The early years at home

Download / © Birgit Nilsson Museum
Philharmonic Hall New York

Download / Philharmonic Hall 1965, New York ©Beth Bergman
Philharmonic Hall New York

Download / Philharmonic Hall 1965, New York ©Beth Bergman
Philharmonic Hall New York

Download / Philharmonic Hall 1965, New York ©Beth Bergman
Philharmonic Hall New York

Download / Philharmonic Hall 1965, New York ©Beth Bergman
Philharmonic Hall New York

Download / Philharmonic Hall, 1963, New York ©Beth Bergman
Manhattan School of Music

Download / Manhattan School of Music, New York, 1986 ©Beth Bergman
Manhattan School of Music

Download / Manhattan School of Music, New York, 1986 ©Beth Bergman
Manhattan School of Music_

Download / Manhattan School of Music, New York, 1986 ©Beth Bergman
Metroplitan Return to the Met

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive, 1979 ©Beth Bergman
Metropolitan Return to the Met

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive, 1979 ©Beth Bergman
Metropolitan Goetterdaemmerung / Bruennhilde

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive, 1975 ©Beth Bergman
Metropolitan Sieglinde/ Walkuere

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive, 1975 ©Beth Bergman
Metropolitan Dyer's Wife

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive, 1981 ©Beth Bergman
Metropolitan Dyer's Wife

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive, 1981 ©Beth Bergman
Metropolitan Tosca with Franco Corelli

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive, 1968 ©Beth Bergman
Metropolitan Turandot

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive, 1966 ©Beth Bergman
Metropolitan Turandot

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive, 1966 ©Beth Bergman
Metropolitan Die Walkuere

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive, 1965 ©Beth Bergman
The Old Metropolitan Opera Final Night

Download / The old Metropolitan Opera Archive, 1966 ©Beth Bergman
Metropolitan Fidelio with John Vickers

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive, 1966 ©Beth Bergman
Musikverein Vienna Membership of the Vienna Philharmonic with husband Bertil Niklasson

Download / 1999 ©Archiv Wiener Philharmoniker
MET Centennial Gala James Heffernan

Download / ©Metropolitan Opera Archive
Metropolitan Opera Birgit Nilsson with debut poster

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive ©Louis Mélançon
Metropolitan Opera NY Salome with Karl Liebl

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive, 1965 ©Louis Mélançon
Metropolitan Broadway Opera Archive

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive ©Louis Mélançon
Metropolitan Bruennhilde Goetterdaemmerung

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive, 1963 ©Louis Mélançon
New York

Download / ©Metropolitan Opera Archive
Vienna State Opera Isolde

Download / 1967 ©The Birgit Nilsson Foundation / Fayer
Vienna State Opera Macbeth

Download / 1970 ©The Birgit Nilsson Foundation / Fayer
Vienna State Opera Turandot

Download / 1961 ©The Birgit Nilsson Foundation / Fayer
Vienna Ministry of Culture Honored as Oestereichische Kammersaengerin

Download / 1968 ©The Birgit Nilsson Foundation/ Fayer
Vienna

Download / 1963 ©The Birgit Nilsson Foundation / Fayer
Vienna

Download / 1965 ©The Birgit Nilsson Foundation / Fayer
Berlin

Download / Berlin, 1968 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Bayreuth/ Isolde

Download / 1962 - 1970 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Bayreuth / Bruennhilde Goetterdaemmerung

Download / 1960 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Wedding Day Swedish Church Copenhagen

Download / 1948 ©Birgit Nilsson private archive
Vaestra Karup Grave

Download / 2015 ©The Birgit Nilsson Foundation
Birgit Nilsson in Die Walküre (Richard Wagner)

Download / New York, 1965 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson in Bing Gala

Download / New York, 1974 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson in Elektra (Richard Strauss)

Download / New York, 1980 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson (with James Levine) in Elektra (Richard Strauss)

Download / New York, 1980 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson in Elektra (Richard Strauss)

Download / New York, 1980 ©Beth Bergman
Elektra multiple exposure at the new MET, death dance

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive, New York,1980 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson in Elektra (Richard Strauss)

Download / New York, 1980 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson in Götterdämmerung (Richard Wagner)

Download / New York, 1975 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson in Tristan und Isolde (Richard Wagner)

Download / Vienna Foto Studio, 1967 ©The Birgit Nilsson Foundation / Fayer
Birgit Nilsson in Tristan und Isolde (Richard Wagner)

Download / Foto Studio Vienna, 1967 ©The Birgit Nilsson Foundation / Fayer
Birgit Nilsson with pianist John Wustman in a recital

Download / New York, 1965 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson in a recital

Download / New York, 1967 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson with conductor Karl Boehm in Salome (Richard Strauss)

Download / New York, 1965 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson with Franco Corelli in Tosca (Giacomo Puccini)

Download / New York, 1968 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson in Tosca (Giacomo Puccini)

Download / New York, 1968 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson with Franco Corelli in Tosca (Giacomo Puccini)

Download / New York, 1968 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson in Tosca (Giacomo Puccini)

Download / New York, 1968 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson in Tosca (Giacomo Puccini)

Download / New York, 1968 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson in Tristan und Isolde (Richard Wagner)

Download / New York, 1968 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson in Turandot (Giacomo Puccini)

Download / Foto Studio, 1961 ©The Birgit Nilsson Foundation / Fayer
Birgit Nilsson in Turandot (Giacomo Puccini)

Download / New York, 1965 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson in Die Walküre (Richard Wagner)

Download / New York, 1965 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson in Tristan und Isolde (Richard Wagner), Bayreuthe

Download / Überlingen Germany,1965 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson with Wolfgang Windgassen as Tristan in Tristan un

Download / Überlingen Germany,1965 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson in Tristan und Isolde (Richard Wagner), Bayreuthe

Download / Überlingen Germany, 1965–1970 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson in Tristan und Isolde (Richard Wagner), Bayreuthe

Download / Überlingen Germany, 1965–1970 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson in Tristan und Isolde (Richard Wagner), Bayreuthe

Download / Überlingen Germany ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson with Wolfgang Windgassen as Tristan in Tristan un

Download / Überlingen Germany, 1965–1970 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson in Tristan und Isolde (Richard Wagner), Bayreuthe

Download / Überlingen Germany, 1965–1970 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson in Tristan und Isolde (Richard Wagner), Bayreuthe

Download / Überlingen Germany, 1966 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson in Tristan und Isolde (Richard Wagner), Bayreuthe

Download / Überlingen Germany, 1966 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson in Tristan und Isolde (Richard Wagner), Bayreuthe

Download / Überlingen Germany ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson in Tristan und Isolde (Richard Wagner), Bayreuthe

Download / Überlingen Germany, 1970 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson with Wieland Wagner in Tristan und Isolde (Richar

Download / Überlingen Germany, 1965–1970 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson as Brnnhilde in der Ring des Nibelungen (Richard

Download / Überlingen Germany, 1965 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson as Brnnhilde in der Ring des Nibelungen (Richard

Download / Überlingen Germany, 1962 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson as Brnnhilde in der Ring des Nibelungen (Richard

Download / Überlingen Germany, 1965 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson as Brnnhilde in der Ring des Nibelungen (Richard

Download / Überlingen Germany ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson as Brnnhilde in der Ring des Nibelungen (Walkre

Download / Überlingen Germany ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson Portrait, Bayreuther Festspiele, Bayreuth

Download / Überlingen Germany ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson Portrait, Bayreuther Festspiele, Bayreuth

Download / Überlingen Germany ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson performs the famed «Liebestod» from Richard Wagner's Tristan und Isolde
Birgit Nilsson sings an aria from Giacomo Puccini's Turandot
Birgit Nilsson sings an aria from Salome at the Metropolitan Opera Gala Honoring Sir Rudolf Bing in 1972

Birgit Nilsson Centenary exhibition at Metropolitan Opera, New York (Season 2018/2019)

Download / Beth Bergman
Stockholm

Download / 1942 ©Birgit Nilsson Museum
Erstes Konzertkleid 1942©Birgit Nilsson Museum

Download / 1942 ©Birgit Nilsson Museum
At home, Atelier Soelling

Download / ©Birgit Nilsson Museum
The early years at home

Download / © Birgit Nilsson Museum
Philharmonic Hall New York

Download / Philharmonic Hall 1965, New York ©Beth Bergman
Philharmonic Hall New York

Download / Philharmonic Hall 1965, New York ©Beth Bergman
Philharmonic Hall New York

Download / Philharmonic Hall 1965, New York ©Beth Bergman
Philharmonic Hall New York

Download / Philharmonic Hall 1965, New York ©Beth Bergman
Philharmonic Hall New York

Download / Philharmonic Hall, 1963, New York ©Beth Bergman
Manhattan School of Music

Download / Manhattan School of Music, New York, 1986 ©Beth Bergman
Manhattan School of Music

Download / Manhattan School of Music, New York, 1986 ©Beth Bergman
Manhattan School of Music_

Download / Manhattan School of Music, New York, 1986 ©Beth Bergman
Metroplitan Return to the Met

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive, 1979 ©Beth Bergman
Metropolitan Return to the Met

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive, 1979 ©Beth Bergman
Metropolitan Goetterdaemmerung / Bruennhilde

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive, 1975 ©Beth Bergman
Metropolitan Sieglinde/ Walkuere

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive, 1975 ©Beth Bergman
Metropolitan Dyer's Wife

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive, 1981 ©Beth Bergman
Metropolitan Dyer's Wife

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive, 1981 ©Beth Bergman
Metropolitan Tosca with Franco Corelli

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive, 1968 ©Beth Bergman
Metropolitan Turandot

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive, 1966 ©Beth Bergman
Metropolitan Turandot

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive, 1966 ©Beth Bergman
Metropolitan Die Walkuere

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive, 1965 ©Beth Bergman
The Old Metropolitan Opera Final Night

Download / The old Metropolitan Opera Archive, 1966 ©Beth Bergman
Metropolitan Fidelio with John Vickers

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive, 1966 ©Beth Bergman
Musikverein Vienna Membership of the Vienna Philharmonic with husband Bertil Niklasson

Download / 1999 ©Archiv Wiener Philharmoniker
MET Centennial Gala James Heffernan

Download / ©Metropolitan Opera Archive
Metropolitan Opera Birgit Nilsson with debut poster

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive ©Louis Mélançon
Metropolitan Opera NY Salome with Karl Liebl

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive, 1965 ©Louis Mélançon
Metropolitan Broadway Opera Archive

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive ©Louis Mélançon
Metropolitan Bruennhilde Goetterdaemmerung

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive, 1963 ©Louis Mélançon
New York

Download / ©Metropolitan Opera Archive
Vienna State Opera Isolde

Download / 1967 ©The Birgit Nilsson Foundation / Fayer
Vienna State Opera Macbeth

Download / 1970 ©The Birgit Nilsson Foundation / Fayer
Vienna State Opera Turandot

Download / 1961 ©The Birgit Nilsson Foundation / Fayer
Vienna Ministry of Culture Honored as Oestereichische Kammersaengerin

Download / 1968 ©The Birgit Nilsson Foundation/ Fayer
Vienna

Download / 1963 ©The Birgit Nilsson Foundation / Fayer
Vienna

Download / 1965 ©The Birgit Nilsson Foundation / Fayer
Berlin

Download / Berlin, 1968 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Bayreuth/ Isolde

Download / 1962 - 1970 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Bayreuth / Bruennhilde Goetterdaemmerung

Download / 1960 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Wedding Day Swedish Church Copenhagen

Download / 1948 ©Birgit Nilsson private archive
Vaestra Karup Grave

Download / 2015 ©The Birgit Nilsson Foundation
Birgit Nilsson in Die Walküre (Richard Wagner)

Download / New York, 1965 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson in Bing Gala

Download / New York, 1974 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson in Elektra (Richard Strauss)

Download / New York, 1980 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson (with James Levine) in Elektra (Richard Strauss)

Download / New York, 1980 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson in Elektra (Richard Strauss)

Download / New York, 1980 ©Beth Bergman
Elektra multiple exposure at the new MET, death dance

Download / Metropolitan Opera Archive, New York,1980 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson in Elektra (Richard Strauss)

Download / New York, 1980 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson in Götterdämmerung (Richard Wagner)

Download / New York, 1975 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson in Tristan und Isolde (Richard Wagner)

Download / Vienna Foto Studio, 1967 ©The Birgit Nilsson Foundation / Fayer
Birgit Nilsson in Tristan und Isolde (Richard Wagner)

Download / Foto Studio Vienna, 1967 ©The Birgit Nilsson Foundation / Fayer
Birgit Nilsson with pianist John Wustman in a recital

Download / New York, 1965 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson in a recital

Download / New York, 1967 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson with conductor Karl Boehm in Salome (Richard Strauss)

Download / New York, 1965 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson with Franco Corelli in Tosca (Giacomo Puccini)

Download / New York, 1968 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson in Tosca (Giacomo Puccini)

Download / New York, 1968 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson with Franco Corelli in Tosca (Giacomo Puccini)

Download / New York, 1968 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson in Tosca (Giacomo Puccini)

Download / New York, 1968 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson in Tosca (Giacomo Puccini)

Download / New York, 1968 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson in Tristan und Isolde (Richard Wagner)

Download / New York, 1968 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson in Turandot (Giacomo Puccini)

Download / Foto Studio, 1961 ©The Birgit Nilsson Foundation / Fayer
Birgit Nilsson in Turandot (Giacomo Puccini)

Download / New York, 1965 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson in Die Walküre (Richard Wagner)

Download / New York, 1965 ©Beth Bergman
Birgit Nilsson in Tristan und Isolde (Richard Wagner), Bayreuthe

Download / Überlingen Germany,1965 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson with Wolfgang Windgassen as Tristan in Tristan un

Download / Überlingen Germany,1965 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson in Tristan und Isolde (Richard Wagner), Bayreuthe

Download / Überlingen Germany, 1965–1970 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson in Tristan und Isolde (Richard Wagner), Bayreuthe

Download / Überlingen Germany, 1965–1970 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson in Tristan und Isolde (Richard Wagner), Bayreuthe

Download / Überlingen Germany ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson with Wolfgang Windgassen as Tristan in Tristan un

Download / Überlingen Germany, 1965–1970 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson in Tristan und Isolde (Richard Wagner), Bayreuthe

Download / Überlingen Germany, 1965–1970 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson in Tristan und Isolde (Richard Wagner), Bayreuthe

Download / Überlingen Germany, 1966 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson in Tristan und Isolde (Richard Wagner), Bayreuthe

Download / Überlingen Germany, 1966 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson in Tristan und Isolde (Richard Wagner), Bayreuthe

Download / Überlingen Germany ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson in Tristan und Isolde (Richard Wagner), Bayreuthe

Download / Überlingen Germany, 1970 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson with Wieland Wagner in Tristan und Isolde (Richar

Download / Überlingen Germany, 1965–1970 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson as Brnnhilde in der Ring des Nibelungen (Richard

Download / Überlingen Germany, 1965 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson as Brnnhilde in der Ring des Nibelungen (Richard

Download / Überlingen Germany, 1962 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson as Brnnhilde in der Ring des Nibelungen (Richard

Download / Überlingen Germany, 1965 ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson as Brnnhilde in der Ring des Nibelungen (Richard

Download / Überlingen Germany ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson as Brnnhilde in der Ring des Nibelungen (Walkre

Download / Überlingen Germany ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson Portrait, Bayreuther Festspiele, Bayreuth

Download / Überlingen Germany ©Siegfried Lauterwasser
Birgit Nilsson Portrait, Bayreuther Festspiele, Bayreuth

Download / Überlingen Germany ©Siegfried Lauterwasser

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