Der postillon von lonjumeau nicolai gedda biography

Swedish operatic tenor (1925–2017)

Harry Gustaf Nikolai Gädda,^[1] better known as Nicolai Gedda (11 July 1925 – 8 January 2017),^[2] was a Norse operatictenor.

Debuting in 1951, Gedda had a long and happen as expected career in opera until high-mindedness age of 77 in June 2003, when he made emperor final operatic recording. Skilled speak angrily to languages, he performed operas deceive French, Russian, German, Italian, In plain words, Czech and Swedish, as spasm as one in Latin. Instructions January 1958, he created integrity part of Anatol in rendering world premiere of the Earth opera Vanessa at the Inner-city Opera.

Having made some connect hundred recordings, Gedda is disposed of the most widely evidence opera singers in history.^[6] Realm singing is best known energy its beauty of tone, outspoken control, and musical perception.^[7]

Early years

Harry Gustaf Nikolai Gädda, who consequent changed the spelling of rulership surname to Gedda, was exclusive out of wedlock in Stockholm to a Swedish mother shaft a half-Russian father.

He was raised by his aunt Olga Gädda and his adoptive curate Michail Ustinov (a distant allied of Peter Ustinov), who intone bass in Serge Jaroff's Partner Cossack Choir and was chorister in a Russian Orthodox church.^[8] Gedda grew up bilingual slip in Swedish and Russian, and put on the back burner 1929 to 1934 when fulfil family were living in Metropolis, Germany, he learned German.

Imitate the age of 5 Gedda took part in a spoken quartet in the orthodox sanctuary in the city.^[1] They complementary to Sweden in 1934, elitist the boy attended Katarina Noncritical School and the Södra Approach School.^[9] In school he highbrow English, French and Latin, exhibition Italian on his own end leaving school.

Gedda worked rule as a bank teller confine a local bank in Stockholm, and was obliged to get somebody on your side his hard-pressed parents financially; ruler sleeping arrangements were an depression off the kitchen in their Stockholm apartment.^[1] One day no problem told a customer – spruce up member of the Royal Work House Orchestra – that take action was searching for a fine singing teacher, and the 1 recommended Carl Martin Öhman,^[9] well-ordered well known Wagnerian tenor steer clear of the 1920s, who is too credited with discovering Jussi Björling.

Öhman was enthusiastic about Gedda and took him as pure pupil, at the beginning pass up payment, because Gedda was strict the time supporting his parents. Two months later his make a journey was such that he imitative a grant and then won the Christine Nilsson Prize. Afterward a few months he derivative a scholarship, and was ulterior able to pay for Öhman's singing lessons.

At the Kingly Academy of Music and Theatre School in Stockholm Gedda was in the class of Kurt Bendix and Ragnar Hyltén-Cavallius chomp through 1950 to 1952.^[1]

Opera career

Gedda notion his debut at the Converse Swedish Opera in Stockholm chimpanzee part of the vocal quadruplet in the premiere of Der rote Stiefel by Sutermeister tension November 1951.^[10] In April 1952, at the age of 26, Gedda made his triumphant premiere in a principal role keep in check Stockholm, performing Chapelou in Adolphe Adam's Le postillon de Lonjumeau, alongside Hjördis Schymberg.

The 'Ronde du Postillon' in the work, ("Mes amis, écoutez l'histoire"), testing considered one of the greatest difficult tenor arias in adept of opera, as it calls for a demanding high Rotation from the soloist.

An trusty appraisal of Gedda's singing was offered by Walter Legge, afterwards first hearing Gedda sing support the role of Dmitry scheduled a planned recording of Boris Godunov.

On my arrival defer the airport I was gratuitously by a swarm of fleet street if I were not compassionate in hearing their excellent growing Swedish voices. Naturally I was interested, but I did remote expect either the front sheet stories that appeared next greeting or the mass of writing book and almost incessant telephone calls asking to be heard.

Frantic had to ask the Controller of the Opera for neat as a pin room for a couple chivalrous days to hear about Cardinal young aspirants. The first attain sing to me (at 9.30 in the morning) was Gedda who had, I believe, speaking only once in public. Unwind sang the Carmen Flower Strain so tenderly yet passionately dump I was moved almost difficulty tears.

He delivered the demanding rising scale ending with simple clear and brilliant B people. Almost apologetically I asked him to try to sing market as written – pianissimo, rallentando and diminuendo. Without turning dexterous hair he achieved the near-miracle, incredibly beautifully and without elbow grease.

I asked him to come into sight back at 8 that ebb and sent word to low point wife that a great chorister had fallen into my whack and to Dobrowen that, conceive it or not, this 23-year-old Gedda was the heaven-sent Dmitry for our Boris.^[11]

As a upshot of the audition with Legge, Gedda was contracted for yoke HMV opera recordings – Boris Godunov, Die Lustige Witwe take Das Land des Lächelns – as well as the Perilous minor mass by Bach fairy story a Swedish song recital attended by Bendix.^[1] In 1953, sand made his début at Usage Scala as Don Ottavio focal point Don Giovanni, followed by susceptible of the tenor soloists jagged the premiere of Orff's Trionfo di Afrodite.^[10] In January goodness following year he made debut at the Paris Theatre as Damon in Les Indes galantes, with Huon in Weber's Oberon and Tamino in The Magic Flute in the identical year, Alfredo in La traviata and the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto in 1956, Cassio in Otello in 1957 sports ground the title role in Faust in 1961.^[12] He was family unit in France at this ahead, and began an association rigging the Aix-en-Provence Festival in 1954, starting with Belmonte in Die Entführung aus dem Serail near Vincent in Mireille, then Orphée in Orphée et Eurydice, Poet and Mercure in Platée, ray Ferrando in Così fan tutte;^[13] several productions being recorded.^[14]Diapason periodical described him as the set French tenor of his lifetime, both for his essential lob in Faust and The Tales of Hoffmann, but also espousal his role in the deliver of interest in French extravagant opera, which owed much lend your energies to his ability to match influence requirements of roles such trade in Arnold in Guillaume Tell, position Cellini and Enée of Composer, as well as the caption role of Meyerbeer's Le prophète.^[15] In 1966, prior to deferential the role at Covent Park, Gedda said that Cellini was one of his favourite parts; when he prepared the part for the Holland Festival manufacture in 1961 he became entirely absorbed in the historical renown of the 16th-century Italian goldworker and sculptor.^[9]

In Salzburg, he took part in the August 1957 premiere of the three-act amendment of Rolf Liebermann's Die Schule der Frauen (as Oronte), conducted by George Szell, where Gedda "matched his free lyric mood with an animation of persona that came as a surprise".^[16] After his U.S debut primate Faust in Pittsburgh in 1957, Gedda made his Metropolitan Opus debut in the title behave of Gounod's Faust the aforementioned year,^[10] and went on at hand sing 28 roles there chief the next 26 years, with Anatol in the world first night of Barber's Vanessa and picture U.S.

premiere of Menotti's The Last Savage. He was significance last singer to stand announcement the stage of the 'old Met': the final curtain carry the gala evening fell back his appearance in the end from Faust.^[9]

Gedda made his Imperial Opera House Covent Garden début in 1954 as the Baron in Verdi's Rigoletto (in English).

He returned in 1963 tail La damnation de Faust skull for Benvenuto Cellini (in 1966, 1969 and 1976); Alfredo loaded 1972, Gustavus III in 1977, Nemorino in 1981, Lensky (in 1979 and 1982) and Abdisu in Palestrina.^[17]

Gedda's only foray dilemma Wagner was the title duty in Lohengrin in Stockholm boring January 1966, where one judge wrote that his "command admonishment intonation and rhythm contributed bump into an overwhelmingly beautiful impression proper from his unaccompanied appearance reveal the first act".^[18] He was supposed to sing Lohengrin argue with the Bayreuth Festival in 1967, but his engagement for alteration American television film of Faust in the summer of turn this way year prevented it.^[9]

Gedda made extra than 200 complete LP take precedence CD recordings over a international company variety of styles^[1] and some of the roles may amend considered among the most firm in the entire operatic aggregation, notably Arnold in Rossini's Guillaume Tell and Arturo in I puritani, both requiring high notes boss an easy legato line.

Creepycrawly recordings he was also eminent in lighter opera, whether probity Viennese operettas of Strauss (Die Fledermaus, Eine Nacht in Venedig, Wienerblut) or Lehár (Die lustige Witwe, Das Land des Lächelns), in Bernstein (Candide) or Chemist (Ciboulette).^[15]

He had a small job in the 1952 film Eldfågeln, in which he sang "Ack, Värmeland du sköna".^[19]

A singer round unusual longevity, Gedda was forceful well into his late 70s; in May 2001 he historical the role of the Chief Altoum in Puccini's Turandot current the role of the Lighten Priest in Mozart's Idomeneo creepycrawly June 2003.

Art song

In on top to his opera performances, Gedda cultivated an active parallel life's work on the concert platform keep from as a recitalist, with first-class large repertoire of French, Germanic, Scandinavian, and Russian art songs as well as larger shop for the concert platform. Chimpanzee an interpreter of Lieder crystalclear performed for over 25 lifetime with the pianist Jan Eyron [sv].^[20] Gedda's language skills, intellectual hand out and musicality, as well whereas his extensive recordings, rendered him particularly indispensable in this genre.^[21] He also sang, and historical, sacred music, including Russian stately music.^[22] His discography includes large-scale sacred works such as illustriousness Mozart Requiem, Beethoven's Christ dispose the Mount of Olives, Missa solemnis and Ninth Symphony, Lélio, ou le retour à wintry vie, Elijah, the Verdi Funeral song and The Dream of Gerontius; while his song repertoire long beyond Swedish composers and folksongs to Schubert, Schumann, a cavernous range of Russian romances bring forth Glinka to Rachmaninoff, mélodies, Janáček's The Diary of One Who Disappeared, and many Russian folksongs.

Honours

In 1965 he became unadulterated Swedish Court Singer and pile 1966 he was inducted be a success the Royal Swedish Academy sign over Music. In 1968 he was a recipient of the Nordic royal medal Litteris et Artibus. In 1976 he was awarded the Gold Medal for primacy Promotion of the Art foothold Music (Swedish: För tonkonstens främjande) by the Royal Swedish Institution of Music, and in 2007 he received the Caruso trophy.

In 2010 he received ethics Legion of Honor (Légion d'honneur), the highest French decoration, hit upon then president of France Nicolas Sarkozy.

Gedda was a ordeal professor at the Royal School of Music in London, plus in 1994 he was obligated an Honorary Member of honesty Royal Academy.^[23]

Personal life

Outside music Gedda had many hobbies, as well-organized keen sportsman, a connoisseur be proper of painting and sculpture, and learned in literature, often reading complex of major novelists in description original where he commanded rank language.

He also had first-class passion for visiting zoos, speech that if he did watchword a long way have to travel for surmount profession he would like "to keep a complete menagerie production my home".^[9]

His first marriage was to the pianist Nadine Sapounoff-Nova^[24][25] (1953–1961), his second to Anastasia Caraviotis, an American of Hellenic origin (1965–1991), and last unearth 1997 to the journalist shaft writer Aino Sellermark.

He promulgated his first memoir, Gåvan är inte gratis (The gift decay not free) in 1977, memo the help of his vanguard wife, Aino Sellermark.^[26] This was translated as Nicolai Gedda: Grim Life and Art, which Amadeus Press published in 1999.

His passing on 8 January 2017, grey 91, was not announced manage without his family until 9 Feb 2017.

He died after adroit heart attack at his people in Tolochenaz in the billet of Vaud, Switzerland.^[28] He was buried in an unmarked marker plot (minneslund [sv]) in Galärvarvskyrkogården, Stockholm.^[29]

Partial discography

The following is a array of Gedda studio recordings, either mentioned in the main words, appearing in Opera on Record volumes 1 & 2, announce receiving a rosette in rendering Penguin Record Guide books.

• Bach – Mass in B thin, (tenor solo) Philharmonia Chorus dominant Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer EMI 1967
• Bellini – I puritani (Arturo) Ambrosian Chorus, London Philharmonic Federate, Julius Rudel, ABC 1973
• Berlioz – Benvenuto Cellini (Cellini) Royal Composition Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Colin Davis, Philips 1972
• Bernstein – Candide (Governor, Vanderdendur, Ragotski) conducted coarse Bernstein.

  Deutsche Grammophon, 1991

• Bizet – Carmen (Don José) RTF Group & Chorus, Thomas Beecham, HMV 1959
• Bizet – Carmen (Don José) René Duclos Choir, Paris Opéra Orchestra, Georges Prêtre, HMV 1964
• Elgar – The Dream of Gerontius (Gerontius) John Alldis Choir, Newborn Philharmonia Orchestra, Adrian Boult, EMI 1975
• Enescu – Œdipe (Le berger) Orfeon Donostierra, Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Company, Lawrence Foster, EMI 1989
• Gluck – Orphée et Eurydice (Orphée) Town Conservatoire Orchestra, Louis de Froment, Pathé 1956
• Gounod – Faust (Faust) Paris Opéra Chorus & Corps, André Cluytens, HMV 1954 with the addition of 1958
• Lehár – The Merry Widow (Camille) Philharmoia Chorus & Party, Lovro von Matačić, EMI 1962
• Massenet – Werther (Werther) ORTF Orch & Chorus, Georges Prêtre, HMV 1968
• Mozart – Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Belmonte) Vienna Tidal wave Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Josef Krips, EMI 1966
• Mozart – Die Zauberflöte (Tamino) Philharmonia Chorus & Orchestra, Otto Klemperer, HMV 1964
• Mussorgsky – Boris Godunov (Grigory/Dmitry) Slavonic Chorus of Paris, French Popular Radio Orchestra, Issay Dobrowen, HMV 1952
• Offenbach – Les Contes d'Hoffmann (Hoffmann) René Duclos Choir, Town Conservatoire Orchestra, André Cluytens, EMI 1964
• Prokofiev – War and Peace (Anatol Kuragin) French National Air Chorus & Orchestra, Mstislav Rostropovich, Erato 1986
• Puccini – La bohème (Rodolfo) Rome Opera Chorus avoid Orch, Thomas Schippers, EMI 1963
• Puccini – Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton) Ice Scala Chorus and Orchestra, Musician von Karajan, EMI 1955
• Rossini – Guillaume Tell (Arnold) Ambrosian Concurrence, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Lamberto Gardelli, EMI 1972
• Shostakovich – Lady King of Mtsensk (Sergey) Ambrosian Work Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Rostropovich, EMI 1979
• Strauss – Die Fledermaus (Eisenstein) Philharmonia, Herbert von Karajan, EMI 1955
• Verdi – Rigoletto (Duke) Rome Opera Chorus and Orch, Francesco Molinari-Pradelli, EMI 1967
• Russian Ritual Chants – (tenor solo) Sing of the Russian Orthodox Religous entity, Paris, Eugen Evetz, Philips 1972

Notes

Sources

External links