PHILADELPHIA — As the final notes echoed around Marian Anderson Hall, Swedish soprano Nina Stemme gently tilted back her head and tears welled in her eyes. It marked the conclusion of her 126th and last performance as Isolde. Her emotional farewell was followed by warm embraces from fellow performers Stuart Skelton and Karen Cargill, accompanied by a standing ovation from the audience on Sunday evening.
Reflecting on the early days of her illustrious journey with Isolde, Stemme remembered when Nicholas Snowman, the general director of the Glyndebourne Festival, and Nikolaus Lehnhoff, the opera director, approached her in Antwerp, Belgium, back in April 2000. They offered her the chance to sing in the English company’s first-ever performance of Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde.” Initially, she was skeptical, thinking the offer was merely a joke. But her colleague, Christopher Ventris, warned her to take it seriously. Decision made, Stemme returned to Sweden to consult with her vocal coach Richard Trimborn. Her debut as Isolde was on May 19, 2003, at the Glyndebourne Festival, with Robert Gambill as Tristan and Ji?í B?lohlávek conducting.
Opting to conclude her time as Isolde, she chose to perform her final two shows with the Philadelphia Orchestra under the guidance of music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin. It was Nézet-Séguin’s first time conducting this opera, yet he achieved an exquisite interpretation with the orchestra. “I’m 62 now,” Stemme remarked, reflecting on her decision to retire from some of the more demanding roles she once portrayed. “I gave it to my 60s to sing these big roles and now I’ve dropped Elektra and Brünnhilde, and Isolde is the last daughter on stage that I’m singing,” she added, expressing gratitude for every performance as a bonus and privilege.
Stemme cherished a friendship with Birgit Nilsson, an acclaimed Isolde and Brünnhilde who passed away in 2005. She once considered working with Nilsson, but her responsibilities as a mother and her nascent career in lyric repertoire held her back. Collaborations with tenor Stuart Skelton were numerous over the years, with their partnership in New York, Munich, and Naples being among the highlights. “It’s as radiant now as it was when I first heard her sing it,” said Skelton, recalling their initial partnership at Glyndebourne.
Nézet-Séguin first collaborated with Stemme during a performance in Stockholm in 2007, then reunited for Strauss’ “Die Frau ohne Schatten” last fall at the Met. He valued the depth of Stemme’s understanding of Isolde’s role, which helped guide him and the orchestra through their first performance of this complex piece. Singers performed on a platform above the orchestra, with LED lights below them setting the mood with vibrant colors — red, dark blue, and light blue for each act, respectively. Stemme’s emotive expressions conveyed Isolde’s inner world without the need for elaborate sets and staging.
Reflecting on her evolution as a performer over the years, Stemme remarked, “Twenty-two years ago I could act the young princess that was in love or hated her love for Tristan.” The maturity she gained has added richness to her interpretation, adapting to changes in her vocal range. While she plans to take on less taxing roles in the future, like Klytämnestra in Strauss’ “Elektra” and Waltraute in “Götterdämmerung,” her legacy as Isolde remains secure, especially with the critically acclaimed recording with tenor Plácido Domingo.
Looking to the future of Isolde’s role, Lise Davidsen is set to make her debut on January 12 at Barcelona’s Gran Teatre del Liceu and later at New York’s Metropolitan Opera in March, with Nézet-Séguin conducting. Stemme expressed her pleasure in passing the torch, supported by Nézet-Séguin, who honored this symbolic gesture.
Even as she leaves behind the stage of Isolde, Stemme remains humbly connected to the world of opera and her deeper affinity to romantic roles. “At heart,” she mused, “I’m still Madama Butterfly or Mimì.”