Christine Nilsson

Born Aug. 20, 1843, in Sjöabol, near Växjö; died Nov. 22, 1921, in Stockholm. Swedish soprano.

Nilsson studied voice under F. Berwald in Stockholm. She completed her training in Paris, where, in 1864, she made her debut at the Théâtre-Lyrique in the part of Violetta in Verdi’s La Traviata. She was a soloist at the theater until 1867. From 1868 to 1870, Nilsson sang at the Paris Opéra and at Covent Garden and other London theaters. In the years 1870–1872. 1873, 1874, and 1884 she toured the USA. She performed in Europe’s major theaters, including the Mariinskii in St. Petersburg (1872–75). In 1888 she left the stage.

Nilsson possessed a voice that was notable for its exceptionally sweet timbre and fullness of sound, as well as great range. Her audiences were gripped by the dramatic intensity and expressiveness of her performance. Her roles included Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, the Queen of Night in The Magic Flute, and Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro, all by Mozart; Margaret in Faust by Gounod; Desdemona in Othello by Rossini; and the title role in Mignon and Ophelia in Hamlet, both by Thomas.