Nicolai gedda rachmaninoff biography

Inhe secured a three-year nicolai gedda rachmaninoff biography at the Paris opera. Thus, within two years of his debut in Stockholm, Gedda had embarked on a fully fledged international career. He made his Salzburg festival debut inand that same year, his American debut, as Faust, firstly at Pittsburgh and then triumphantly at the Metropolitan Opera.

His impact at the metropolitan was such, that he was invited back several times every season for the next 20 years. Which he first sang at the Holland Festival inthen in Geneva inand in the new production at Covent Garden inwhich was subsequently revised inand taken to la Scala for its bi-centenary celebrations in Accused of abduction and murder by Rome, Cellini has been told that unless his statue of Parses is cast within the day, his life is forfeit.

He reflects that a simple shepherd has a happier life than he, the great artist. Madam Afula Novikova was highly recommended, she had been a pupil of the great Mattia Battistini, and had taught amongst nicolai gedda rachmaninoff biographies, Ingrid Siegfried, and John London. His first idol was Richard Tauber, which probably accounts for his own liking of operetta.

Then subsequently he heard Benjamino Gigli and Tito Schipa and decided he would always try to achieve their lyrical grace and delicacy. He has made several versions of one aria or another, indeed complete operas. And can often find himself competing against his earlier self. He is not a routine artist and can be inspired by occasion, conductor, and fellow artists.

In Salzburg, he took part in the August premiere of the three-act version of Rolf Liebermann 's Die Schule der Frauen as Oronteconducted by George Szellwhere Gedda "matched his free lyric tenor with an animation of personality that came as a surprise". S debut as Faust in Pittsburgh inGedda made his Metropolitan Opera debut in the title role of Gounod 's Faust the same year, [ 10 ] and went on to sing 28 roles there over the next 26 years, including Anatol in the world premiere of Barber 's Vanessa and the U.

He was the last singer to stand on the stage of the 'old Met': the final curtain of the gala evening fell after his appearance in the finale from Faust. Gedda's only foray in Wagner was the title role in Lohengrin in Stockholm in Januarywhere one critic wrote that his "command of intonation and rhythm contributed to an overwhelmingly beautiful impression right from his unaccompanied appearance in the first act".

Gedda made more than complete LP and CD recordings over a wide variety of styles [ 1 ] and several of the roles may be considered among the most challenging in the entire operatic repertoire, notably Arnold in Rossini 's Guillaume Tell and Arturo in I puritaniboth requiring high notes and an easy legato line. A singer of unusual longevity, Gedda was active well into his late 70s; in May he recorded the role of the Emperor Altoum in Puccini 's Turandot and the role of the High Priest in Mozart 's Idomeneo in June In addition to his opera performances, Gedda cultivated an active parallel career on the concert platform and as a recitalist, with a large repertoire of French, German, Scandinavian, and Russian art songs as well as larger works for the concert platform.

As an interpreter of Lieder he performed for over 25 years with the pianist Jan Eyron [ sv ]. In he was a recipient of the Swedish royal medal Litteris et Artibus. Outside music Gedda had many hobbies, as a keen sportsman, a connoisseur of painting and sculpture, and well-read in literature, often reading works of major novelists in the original where he commanded the language.

He also had a passion for visiting zoos, saying that if he did not have to travel for his profession he would like "to keep a complete menagerie in my home". His first marriage was to the pianist Nadine Sapounoff-Nova [ 24 ] [ 25 ] —his second to Anastasia Caraviotis, an American of Greek origin —and last from to the journalist and writer Aino Sellermark.

His death on 8 Januaryaged 91, was not announced by his family until 9 February He died after a heart attack at his home in Tolochenaz in the canton of VaudSwitzerland. Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools. Download as PDF Printable version. In other projects. He was a brilliant linguist. Around that same time he gave an exquisite recital at the Metropolitan Museum in which he sang a wide range of styles flawlessly.

A diamond-like gem! I know you only through your records, but I feel your loss like you were my uncle. There was no announcement of your passing here in Los Angeles, not even on the Opera Show or the Met broadcast. How very sad! You are my favorite international Tenor. My condolences go out to you family and friends. What an Opera! What a star studded cast!.

Long had it been a dream of mine to meet him, however unlikely that would have been. But alas! That dream now seems to have been blown away into the mists of day. He was the best! He was brilliant! Nobody sings on this way. I study my pupils that they must listen this sound and remember.

Nicolai gedda rachmaninoff biography

This sound is aim. Please log in again. The login page will open in a new tab. After logging in you can close it and return to this page. Share this article:. Nicolai Gedda has died, aged 91 main. Petros Linardos says:. February 9, at pm. Anders Lindgren says:. Daniel F. Michael Engel says:. February 10, at am. Sue says:. April 2, at pm.

Manfred Gerber says:. Wm Bond says:. Evelyn La Quaif says:. Joan Rutkowski says:. Kate Forbush says:. It is known that Glinka spoke of himself as of a "mimosa," which closes her leaves at every touch; such was the temperament of Tchaikovsky, and such is Rachmaninoff's, too. After having shown so many promising signs of creative genius, there came now a pause of almost three years, during the course of which his physical forces failed him to such extent that the young composer was forced to have recourse to medical help.

Of course, in spite of the interruption of his creative period, his artistic life was very much occupied; either he appeared as pianist in concerts, or, still more often, he conducted orchestral concerts, an activity for which he also appeared to be singularly gifted. Rachmaninoff was engaged by him for the post of third conductor, and in this position he acquired the routine so indispensable for even the most highly gifted musicians.

Shaliapine, who at the time was only beginning his career. Rachmaninoff, who, of course, as a musician was incomparably superior to Shaliapine, became so much interested and charmed by the brilliant dazzling talent of the young singer, that he gave freely of his time and interest in order to further Shaliapine's musical development. With the beginning of the twentieth century, the wounds received by Rachmaninoff through the failure of his first symphony, began to heal, and he gradually set to work again on compositions.

In he wrote his well-known song, Fate included in op. In there followed: The 'cello-sonata, op. Finally, inhe wrote the universally known Ten Preludes for Piano. In the nicolai gedda rachmaninoff biography ofRachmaninoff, who always had a special fondness for the genius of Pushkin, created, in the course of three or four weeks, his opera, The Miser Knight after a dramatic scene of Pushkin's —in followed another opera, Francesca da Rimini, which, like the afore-mentioned, shows a splendid combination of his mature style and rare mastership.

Both these operas were performed infirst in Moscow and later in Petrograd, and met with considerable success, not as much, however, as they might have deserved. Another short interruption of his creative activity should be chronicled; it occurred during the season ofwhen he was invited to become first conductor of the Moscow Imperial Grand Opera; this position gave him an opportunity to lead the masterworks of many composers.

InRachmaninoff took up his residence in Dresden, devoting most of his time to pianistic concert activities, in which domain he gradually attained a world-wide reputation. In the same time Rachmaninoff made many European appearances as a composer. Especially should be mentioned a performance in Paris, of his Springtime—a Cantata, with Shaliapine as soloist, under the leadership of Chevillard During the season of Rachmaninoff wrote his Second Symphony, op.

These three works belong to the best known among his compositions. The season of finds Rachmaninoff again in Russia, where he was offered the post of vice-president of the Imperial Russian Music Society. Thanks to this position, which he occupied for three years, he had to work considerably on the question of developing the general musical education in Russia.

The obligations of this position—together with his manifold activities— absorbed so much of his time that for a certain length of time we find again an interruption of his productivity.