Listen to a Sample:

Bluebeard's Castle has a tonal language that is in a realm of its own. There is no other work that has the same kind of color.  Here, in a performance from Swedish Radio although sung in German, we have Birgit Nilsson as Judith very early in her career.  It should be a given that her voice is astounding in its beauty and power, but she is also able to convey the wide-eyed wonder of the heroine which ultimately leads to her downfall.  She is well supported by Ferenc Fricsay at the podium.  Although he made his reputation in Mozart he seems to be at home in the Bartok's dark idiom.  The sound is excellent.

BONUS:
Birgit Nilsson sings arias from Ariadne auf Naxos
Stockholm, 1949

OD 10434-1