Editing Birgit Nilsson (section)

=== Nilsson's humour ===
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."<ref>{{cite book|title=The New York Times Biographical Service|volume=2|publisher=The New York Times & Arno Press|year=1971|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xiJBAQAAIAAJ|access-date=29 April 2018|page=4301|quote=Several years ago, in response to his detailed, two-page cablegram offering her a long list of new production Miss Nilsson sent the maestro a curt two-word cable: "Busy. Birgit." Their feud broke into print two years ago when the soprano canceled several Metropolitan engagements because she felt Mr. von Karajan wanted to work another soprano into her favorite parts. 'When the birds aren't happy they don't sing', she declared. Such Nilsson moods pass quickly, ordinarily.}}</ref>

The Swedish photographer [[Lennart Nilsson]], who became world famous for his [[A Child Is Born (book)|documentation]] of pregnancy from conception to birth, was asked by the magazine ''[[Life (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 <sup>{{sic}}</sup>. I don't want that, since I know where it has been before."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gd.se/kultur/musik/1.415086-gatan-birgit-nilsson-lever-vidare |title=Gåtan Birgit Nilsson lever vidare (in Swedish) |access-date=29 August 2012 |archive-date=2 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502013318/http://gd.se/kultur/musik/1.415086-gatan-birgit-nilsson-lever-vidare |url-status=dead }}</ref> Eventually, though, she agreed on having the pictures taken.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://hbl.fi/kultur/recension/2012-08-02/ar-gastromikrofonin-framtidens-melodi |title=Är gastromikrofonin framtidens melodi? (in Swedish) |access-date=29 August 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140716103728/http://hbl.fi/kultur/recension/2012-08-02/ar-gastromikrofonin-framtidens-melodi |archive-date=16 July 2014 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite book |last=Seghers |first=R. |title=Franco Corelli: Prince of Tenors |publisher=Amadeus Press |series=Opera biography series |year=2008 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=olEIAQAAMAAJ |access-date=29 April 2018 |page=216 |isbn=9781574671636 |quote=Later she sent a legendary telegram to Rudolf Bing: 'Muss die kommende Vorstellungen absagen stop schwere Bissverletzung stop Birgit' (Have to cancel all coming performances stop severe bite wounds stop Birgit). Bing, in whom Birgit Nilsson had found a lively verbal sparring partner since her arrival at the Met, immediately saw the public-relations value of the telegram and leaked to the press that Nilsson had written that she had contracted rabies. From there the story ...}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Fiedler |first=J. |title=Molto Agitato: The Mayhem Behind the Music at the Metropolitan Opera |publisher=Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group |year=2003 |isbn=978-1-4000-7589-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v9gtOoMw8RAC&pg=PT91 |access-date=29 April 2018 |page=91 |quote=... When a jealous Franco Corelli nipped her neck while she held a high C longer than he could, Nilsson called Bing the next day to say she could not go on that night: "I have rabies", she announced. Bing loved her spontaneity ...}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Veckojournalen |publisher=Åhlén & Åkerlunds |year=1969 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eAMdAQAAMAAJ |access-date=29 April 2018 |page=40 |language=sv |quote='Gå in bara, och när du ska kyssa henne så bit henne ordentligt!' Det gjorde Corelli. Nästa dag fick Bing ett telegram : Kan inte sjunga. Biten av en hund. Har rabies. Birgit Nilsson. — Man ska skämta sig igenom vardagen, sa hon en gång. Det är säkert inget dumt recept ...}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Leinsdorf|first=E.|author-link=Erich Leinsdorf|title=Cadenza: A Musical Career|publisher=Houghton Mifflin |year=1976 |url=https://archive.org/details/cadenzamusicalca00lein|via=[[Internet Archive]]|url-access=registration |access-date=29 April 2018 |page=[https://archive.org/details/cadenzamusicalca00lein/page/111 111] |isbn=9780395244012 |quote=The bill was Puccini's ''Turandot'', the stars were Birgit Nilsson and Franco Corelli, the conductor Stokowski, and I sat next to Bing in the audience. Toward the close of "In questa reggia" in act two Nilsson held the high C longer than the tenor. Furious over this, Corelli stalked ... This appealed to Corelli, and all proceeded as suggested until at the final curtain Nilsson called for the general manager, loudly crying: 'Mr. Bing, get me a veterinarian, I have the rabies.' Bing told me later that the ...}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Mihalap |first=H. |title=Where There's Hope: There's Life and Laughter |publisher=Trudy Knox, Publisher |year=1994 |isbn=978-0-9611354-6-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nXfWAAAAMAAJ |access-date=29 April 2018 |page=82 |quote=By now legendary is the night in Boston that Birgit Nilsson, the great Swedish soprano, held a note longer than Franco Corelli, who had near apoplexy about it later in the dressing room. He threatened to quit that instant until Bing cleverly suggested he bite Nilsson in the next act. Apparently he lost his nerve, but later Nilsson sent Bing a telegram from Minneapolis, the next stop on the tour. 'Corelli bit me tonight', she wired, 'am being treated for rabies.'}}</ref>{{Excessive citations inline|date=October 2023}}

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."<ref>{{cite web |title=The Roles Birgit Nilsson & Zinka Milanov Shared & Fought Over |website=operawire.com|date=17 May 2017 |url=http://operawire.com/the-roles-birgit-nilsson-zinka-milanov-shared-fought-over/ |access-date=29 April 2018}}</ref>

The secret to singing Isolde, she said, was "comfortable shoes."<ref>{{cite book | last1=Emmons | first1=S. | last2=Thomas | first2=A. | title=Power Performance for Singers: Transcending the Barriers | publisher=Oxford University Press, USA | year=1998 | isbn=978-0-19-511224-5 | url=https://archive.org/details/powerperformance0000emmo|via=[[Internet Archive]]| url-access=registration | access-date=29 April 2018 | page=[https://archive.org/details/powerperformance0000emmo/page/216 216] | quote=Rehearse in the clothing and shoes that you plan to use. (Remember what Birgit Nilsson said when asked how to sing Wagnerian opera? "Get a good pair of comfortable shoes.") }}</ref> 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."<ref>{{cite book |author=Joan Sutherland |title=A Prima Donna's Progress: The Autobiography of Joan Sutherland |publisher=[[Regnery Publishing]]|year=1997 |isbn=978-0-89526-374-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K7cQAQAAMAAJ |access-date=29 April 2018 |page=155 |quote=It was on this occasion that Birgit Nilsson, when asked was Miss Sutherland's hair real, was reported (in Leonard Lyon's column) to have replied: 'I don't know – I haven't pulled it yet!'}}</ref>

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."<ref>{{cite book |title=International Record Review |publisher=International Record Review|volume=6|number=2|year=2006|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cEE5AQAAIAAJ |access-date=29 April 2018 |page=1 |quote=The world of opera is mourning Birgit Nilsson, who died on December 25th. [On page 14 John Hughes relates a few tales about her famed wit, including an anecdote regarding her strained relationship with Rudolf Bing, to which could be added another.] When asked if Nilsson was difficult, Bing's response was 'Not at all, you put enough money in and a glorious voice comes out. When preparing her taxes, Nilsson was asked if she had any dependents ...}}</ref> When Nilsson was preparing her taxes and was asked if she had any dependents, she replied, "Yes, just one, Rudolf Bing."<ref>{{cite book |last=Wechsberg |first=J. |title=The Opera |publisher=Macmillan|year=1972 |url=https://archive.org/details/opera00wech|via=[[Internet Archive]]|url-access=registration |access-date=29 April 2018 |page=[https://archive.org/details/opera00wech/page/189 189] |quote=... und Isolde depended on the availability of Birgit Nilsson; there was no one else in her class. (According to a story told around the Met, when an accountant helped Miss Nilsson with her income tax return and asked whether she had any dependents, she replied at once, "Yes, Mr Bing.")}}</ref>