La luce langue

Birgit Nilsson (17 May 1918 - 25 December 2005) was a celebrated Swedish dramatic soprano who specialized in operatic and symphonic works. Her voice was noted for its overwhelming force, bountiful reserves of power and the gleaming brilliance and clarity in the upper register. Nilsson made such strong imprints on many roles that they came to be known as the "Nilsson repertory". She sang the operas of Richard Strauss and made a specialty of Puccini's Turandot, but it was the music of Wagner that made her career; her command of his music was comparable to that of Kirsten Flagstad, who owned the Wagner repertory at the Metropolitan Opera during the years before World War II. Nilsson recorded all of her major roles. Partly because of her availability to play Brünnhilde, Decca Records undertook the expensive project of making the first studio recording of Wagner's four-opera Ring cycle, conducted by Solti and produced by John Culshaw. The effort took seven years, from 1958 to 1965. A film of the proceedings made her a familiar image for arts-conscious television viewers...

Lyrics & English Translation

Light is languishing, the beacon that eternally
Moves in the vast heavens is dying away!
O desired night, you providentially veil
The guilty hand which is going to strike the blow...
New crime! It is necessary!
The fatal deed must be done.
The dead do not care to reign;
Let them rest in eternal peace!
Oh voluptuous pleasure of the throne!
Oh scepter, finally you are mine!
Every mortal desire
Is silenced and assuaged by you.
He who was predicted king
Will soon fall lifeless...


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I send my kind and warm regards,