Birgit Nilsson had a great sense of humor. I found these from Wikipedia.
Nilsson did not get along with famous conductor
Herbert von Karajan. Once when rehearsing on stage at the Vienna Staatsoper, her string of pearls broke. While helping her retrieve them, Karajan asked, "Are these real pearls bought with your La Scala fees?" Nilsson replied, "No, these are fake pearls bought with your Vienna Staatsoper fees." When Nilsson first arrived at the Met to rehearse the production of
Die Walküre conducted by Karajan, she said, "Nu, where's Herbie?" And Karajan once sent Nilsson a cable several pages long, proposing in great detail a variety of projects, different dates and operas. Nilsson cabled back: "Busy. Birgit."
[10]
The Swedish photographer
Lennart Nilsson, who became world famous for his
documentation of pregnancy from conception to birth, was asked by the magazine
Life to photograph Birgit Nilsson's
vocal cords as she sang high C. Birgit Nilsson turned the proposal down with the words "Your photographer wants me to swallow the tiny camera so he can take pictures of the vocal cord [
sic]. I don't want that, since I know where it has been before."
[11]
There was a healthy competition between Nilsson and tenor
Franco Corelli as to who could hold the high C the longest in Act II of
Turandot. In one tour performance, after she outlasted him on the high C, he stormed off to
Rudolf Bing during the next intermission, saying that he was not going to continue the performance. Bing, who knew how to handle Corelli's tantrums, suggested that he retaliate by biting Nilsson on the neck when Calaf kisses Turandot in Act III. Corelli didn't bite her but he was so delighted with the idea that he told her about Bing's suggestion. She then cabled Bing, informing him she had to cancel the next two performances because she had contracted rabies.
[13][14][15][16][17]
When Nilsson started singing
Aida at the Met, soprano
Zinka Milanov was miffed as Aida had theretofore been
her role. After one performance in which Nilsson was singing, Milanov commandeered and drove off in the Rolls Royce Nilsson had hired for after the performance. When asked about this afterwards, Milanov said, "If Madame Nilsson takes
my roles, I must take
her Rolls."
[18]
The secret to singing Isolde, she said, was "comfortable shoes."
[19] After a disagreement with the Australian soprano
Joan Sutherland, Nilsson was asked if she thought Sutherland's famous bouffant hairdo was real. She answered: "I don't know. I haven't pulled it yet."
[20]
Once, asked what was her favourite role, she answered: "Isolde made me famous. Turandot made me rich". When long-time Metropolitan Opera director Sir
Rudolf Bing was asked if she was difficult, he reportedly said, "Not at all. You put enough money in, and a glorious voice comes out".
[21] When Nilsson was preparing her taxes and was asked if she had any dependents, she replied, "Yes, just one, Rudolf Bing"
