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Christina Nilsson - The Irresistible
Take part of the fascinating story about the Opera Singer Christina Nilsson (1843-1921), who conquered the musical world during the second part of the 19th century.
Christina Nilsson was born under poor circumstances in Sweden and started out as a fiddler-girl, who entertained on the streets. Two decades later she was an honored guest at Queen Victoria's table in London. According to the Russian composer Peter Tchaikovsky, Christina Nilsson was the best singer of her time. While in Russia, Christina Nilsson also proved that she was a successful bear hunter. The prestigious task to sing at the inauguration of the Metropolitan Opera House in New York was given to Christina Nilsson. Truely, she was celebrated as a Mega Star all over the musical world. A performance in Stockholm in 1885 ended in a disaster and many people were killed. This was the ending point of Christina Nilsson's briliant career as well. But - what has Christina Nilsson in common with Christine in The Phantom of the Opera?
Ingegerd Björklund was awarded a PhD on a dissertation entitled "The Compelling– A Performance-Oriented Study of the Singer Christina Nilsson". (ISBN: 91 8597 60-9 ISSN 0348-0879)
Christina Nilsson never recorded any music, but by comparing statements given by people knowning her, and those given in the newspapers all over the musical world, Dr. Ingegerd Björklund has in her thesis, tried to find out how the elder Swedish Soprano sounded. Based on this knowledge, Ingegerd Björklund has chosen some songs from Christina Nilsson's repertoire and recorded them. These interpretations can be found on the album Ingegerd Björklund sings from Christina Nilsson's repertoire..
Dr. Björklund’s research has been received with greatest interest and her work is still the subject for every possible TV and radio show in Sweden, since she was the very first Swedish Singer who was awarded a PhD on an elder colleague. After the dissertation Ingegerd Björklund has toured the world with her very popular Christina Nilsson- shows.
Estonian Chamber Strings
Peeter Paemurru: Conductor, Piia Paemurru: Piano
(ISBN: 91 89390 10-5)
Music by Gounod, Verdi, Joncières, Thomas, Balfe, Faure, Beethoven, Braga, Sullivan and Nilsson. (MU 64)
Ingegerd Björklund has also published a biography - written in Swedish
Comments from the newspapers:
Ms. Ingegerd Björklund, a most talented soprano and actress, made a trip ... to San Francisco to entertain us. She did it royally and with a great flair of style. Needless to say it was an evening to be remembered for a long time to come for all of us who was fortunate enough to be present ... (San Francosco)
“Den oemotståndliga” is a very good thoroughly book. … The book is easy to read, flavoured with interesting stories from Christina Nilsson’s life, episodes, which makes the book very well worth reading. (Värnamo)
As an Opera Singer, Poet and Concert Organist Ingegerd Björklund has successfully appeared world-wide. Now she has proofed that she is also a great story teller. Thanks to Ingegerd Björklund’s well articulated way of using the language, the book is easy to read for everybody. (Stockholm)
Entitled "The Irresistibel - Christina Nilsson"
Ingegerd Björklund appears in great shows based on her own tailor-made manuscripts. Ingegerd Björklund acts as Christina Nilsson and sings songs from the elder singers reperoire.
Ingegerd Björklund also plays the piano, so the Christina Nilsson-shows can be performed either with an orchestra or with piano.
Ingegerd Björklund also offers her art exhibitions on the theme "Christina Nilsson - The Irresistibel".
Phoo: Lennart Nilson, Ateljé Marie, Gothenburg,