Classical Music : Nicolai Gedda - dead at 91

Nicolai Gedda - dead at 91

He died a month ago on January 8, but the news is just now being reported.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/feb/10/nicolai-gedda-obituary
http://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2017/2/News/Nicolai_Gedda.html

My very first opera album was a "La Bohème" with Gedda as Rodolfo.

mf

“I know that, in spite of the poets, youth is not the happiest season"

Re: Nicolai Gedda - dead at 91

RIP.

The volume of his recordings must rival that of just about any other opera singer.

Must listen to him on Spotify.



You're my wife now.

Re: Nicolai Gedda - dead at 91

I remember that in 2015 his death was wrongly reported in some quarters (I think we even talked about it on here):

http://www.interlude.hk/front/nicolai-gedda-alive-well-thoroughly-immortal/


You're my wife now.

Re: Nicolai Gedda - dead at 91

I should have mentioned him in Jill McBain's "Your Favorite Tenor" thread; I thought of him later. Marvellous voice. I once heard him live in a piano-accompanied recital, a very long time ago. I was disappointed he didn't sing whatever I had heard him sing on recorded media that I was familiar with, but his voice blew me away.

Re: Nicolai Gedda - dead at 91

Re: Nicolai Gedda - dead at 91

"Je crois entendre encore" from Les pecheurs de perles (1955):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCImfJUFSf0

You're my wife now.

Re: Nicolai Gedda - dead at 91

At the Gedda recital I attended some in the audience were clamoring for "Pearl Fishers" as an encore. I had never heard of it then and didn't know what the heck they were talking about.

This aria lies awfully high, doesn't it? I'm not sure I like Gedda particularly in this. Polenzani did this at the Met last year and I liked that production.

Re: Nicolai Gedda - dead at 91

I think it's falsetto.

There's actually a more famous aria from the same opera, but it's a duet.

This is Gedda's most famous role:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mJyjq8JNAI




You're my wife now.

Re: Nicolai Gedda - dead at 91

Video blocked in the U.S.A. for copyright reasons. There are others

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7m2i0qo-BeU

The duet from "Pearl Fisher" is awesome. You don't see many duets for men like that where the characters profess their friendship. "Iphigenie en Tauride" is the only other opera where I can think of a similar male duet.

Re: Nicolai Gedda - dead at 91

"The duet from "Pearl Fisher" is awesome."

It is indeed.

Here's my favourite version (it's certainly by far the most famous):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PYt2HlBuyI


You're my wife now.
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