Swedish soprano Birgit Nilsson ordered secrecy around death

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Stockholm (dpa) - Tributes continued Thursday in honour of Swedish soprano Birgit Nilsson, regarded as one of the greatest opera voices in the 20th century, who has died aged 87.

In accordance with Nilsson's personal wishes, her December 25 death was not publically announced, only becoming public knowledge after she was buried Wednesday.

Some 60 relatives and friends attended the low-key funeral in the village Vastra Karup in southern Sweden where she was born May 17, 1918.

Danish opera singer Elisabeth Meyer-Topfoe sang Elizabeth's prayer from Richard Wagner's opera "Tannhauser" and a song by Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg at the funeral, presiding vicar Fredrik Westerlund told Swedish media.

Nilsson had suffered from poor health in recent years. She was survived by her husband, veterinarian Bertil Nicklasson, who she married in 1948. The couple did not have children.

The Royal Opera house in the Swedish capital Stockholm ordered flags at half-staff and the pending February 25 premier of Richard Wagner's "The Valkyrie" would be in her honour, opera head Menno Feenstra said.

"Sweden has lost one of its greatest stars," King Carl XVI Gustaf said in a statement Wednesday. "Whoever has had the privilege of experiencing her on stage or in private will never forget that, not the least her warm humour."

Nilsson was famed for many leading roles in several of Richard Wagner's best known operas, as well as works by Richard Strauss like "Elektra" and "Salome".

Other acclaimed interpretations included Leonore in Ludwig van Beethoven's "Fidelio", Giuseppe Verdi's "Aida", Giacomo Puccini's "Turandot" and "Tosca".

The star made her debut in October 1946, just shortly after she enrolled at the Swedish Opera School.

Her breakthrough came the following year with the role as Lady Macbeth at the Royal Opera in Stockholm.

In December 1959 she won international acclaim with her performance as Isolde in Wagner's opera "Tristan und Isolde" at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.

Nilsson performed at many of the world's leading opera houses and stages including Bayreuth, Metropolitan, La Scala and the Vienna Opera. She retired in 1984.