Hands down, Nicolai Gedda was the classiest lyric tenor of the 1950s and ’60s (and very early ’70s). For the most part he wisely kept away from the after-1860 Italian repertoire: his voice lacked the necessary juice, and with Björling, Bergonzi, Corelli, and del Monaco around, why bother? These CDs offer two hours and 35 minutes of singing–and interpreting–that never tire the ear and never bore.
“Ach so fromm” is ravishing in its intimacy (by its close, it’s normally shouted); Lohengrin’s Narrative may lack heft, but it’s a model of lyricism and Gedda darkens his tone enough to give it authortity; an aria from Goldmark’s The Queen of Sheba closes on an unearthly head-voiced high-C that’s matched only by a similar feat in Bizet’s Pearl Fishers (a performance notable for its great breath control and legato as well); Hoffman’s tale of Kleinzach is a riveting, snappy story, filled with just the schizophrenia the role requires; the Dmitri/Marina duet from Boris is energetic and filled with smoldering undercurrent; three Tchaikovsky songs become little dramas; Beethoven’s “Adelaide” and Schubert’s “Ständchen” are models of Lieder singing; selections by Gounod and Massenet exhibit his impeccable French diction and style; the high-D at the close of Adam’s “Postman” aria and repeated Cs in William Tell’s would be the envy of any tenor; and his bel canto style in a duet from Sonnambula (with Mirella Freni) is ideal. Yes, this is the very best of Nicolai Gedda. [1/17/2004]
