1. Werther, lyric drama in 4 acts: Act 3. Pourquoi me réveiller 2. Manon, opera in 5 acts: Act 2. Instant charmant...En ferment les yeux 3. Roméo et Juliette, opera: Act 2. L'amour, l'amour!...Ah ! lève-toi soleil 4. Benvenuto Cellini, opera, H. 76a, Op. 23: Act 1. Une heure encore...La gloire était ma seule idole 5. Les contes d'Hoffmann, opera in 4 acts: Va, pour Kleinzach ! 6. Les Pêcheurs de perles, opera in 3 acts: Act 1. Zurga, quand tous deux...Au fond du temple saint 7. Les Pêcheurs de perles, opera in 3 acts: Act 1. À cette voix...Je crois entendre encore 8. Carmen, opera: Act 2. La fleur que tu m'avais jetée 9. Le Postillon de Lonjumeau, opera: Mes amis, écoutez l'histoire 10. Mignon, opera in 3 acts: Act 3. Elle ne croyait pas dans sa candeur naïve 11. Guillaume Tell (William Tell), opera: Act 4. Asile héréditaire 12. L'elisir d'amore, opera: Act 1. Quanto è bella 13. L'elisir d'amore, opera: Act 2. Una furtiva lagrima 14. Lucia di Lammermoor, opera: Act 3. Fra poco a me ricovero 15. La sonnambula, opera: Act 1. Prendi: I'anel ti dono 16. Un ballo in maschera, opera: Act 1. Di' tu se fedele 17. Rigoletto, opera: Act 3. La donna è mobile 18. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 1. Donna non vidi mai
Disc 2
1. Don Giovanni, opera, K. 527: Act 2. Il mio tesoro 2. Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), opera, K. 620: Act 1. Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön 3. Martha, opera: Act 3. Ach, so fromm 4. Lohengrin, opera, WWV 75: Act 3. In fernem Land 5. Die Königin von Saba, opera, Op. 27: Act 2. Magische Töne 6. Eugene Onegin, opera, Op. 24: Act 2. Kuda, kuda, kuda vi udalilis (Lenski's Aria) 7. Boris Godunov, opera: Act 3. Dimitri! Tsaryévich! Dimitri! 8. Work(s): Souvenir 9. In this moonlight, song for voice & piano, Op. 73/3 10. It was in early spring (At the ball), song for voice & piano, Op. 38/2 11. Don Juan's Serenade, song for voice & piano, Op. 38/1 12. Georgian Song ('Do not Sing, My Beauty'), for voice & piano, Op. 4/4 13. How fair this spot, song for voice & piano, Op. 21/7 14. Adelaide, song for voice & piano, Op. 46 15. Heimliche Aufforderung ('Auf, hebe die funkelnde Schale empor zum Mund'), song for voice & piano, Op. 27/3 (TrV 170/3) 16. Ständchen ('Mach' auf, mach' auf, doch leise, mein Kind'), song for voice & piano, Op. 17/2 (TrV 149/2) 17. Der Zigeunerbaron (The Gypsy Baron), operetta (RV 511): Act 1. Als flotter Geist...Ja, das alles auf Ehr' 18. Paganini, operetta in 3 acts: Act 2. Gern hab' ich die Frau'n geküßt 19. Das Land des Lächelns (The Land of Smiles), operetta in 3 acts (revision of 'Die gelbe Jacke'): Act 2. Dein ist mein ganzes Herz
One of the foremost tenors of all time Submitted on: 2009-08-31
This recording is a marval, nothing else. When I grew up I think Swedish people mostly regarded Gedda as a famous operetta star, caused by his inumerable recordings of operettas on the EMI label. Not until late in my life I understood better. Gedda gave a concert with opera arias in the Uppsala University Aula, all 1400 sets sold out. I was completely shocked. What style, what technique, what a Godsend voice. His last number was "E lucevan le stelle" from Tosca. I have NEVER heard it sung in such a convincing manner, security and beauty. Direct from heaven. And I have seen Tosca more than twenty times, three of them with Carreras, one with Ricciarelli, Wixell and Carreras. It was luckily not too late for me to go to Stockholm and hear this phenomenon of an artist in as Lensky, Cavaradarossi, Sänger in Rosenkavalier, Herzog in Rigoletto and so on. Surely he was one of the most illustrious tenors of our Century. By some reason he never recorded Cavaradarossi. Today it is available in a recording from an unforgettable night at the Royal Opera in Stockholm, December 30th, 1975 with Berit Lindholm (Tosca) in her most remarkable form and Rolf Jupither (Scarpia). Only available here: www.premiereopera.com Search on Gedda Lindholm
One of the best Rigolettos existing, in Italian and with Gedda easily taking a high D: Verdi: Rigoletto by Anders Naslund, Stockholm Royal Opera Orchestra, Sixten Ehrling, and Giuseppe Verdi. BIS records. Available on www.amazon.co.uk Marvellous!
Nicolai Gedda - Do not miss this is you are a tenor fan. Submitted on: 2007-12-12
This 2 disc package is a real feast of Nicolai Gedda's art. I am not qualified to comment on the technicalities of his performances but I think you would be hard to please if you did not absolutely love this album. He sings well known arias in Italian, French, German and Russian and his diction is flawless in all languages. A wonderful rich two or more hours of beautiful singing. BUY IT - You will not be disappointed!
Good introduction to the art of Nicolai Gedda Submitted on: 2007-09-16
What a range of roles! Gedda moves from Mozart to Donizetti to Verdi and Wagner, and also sings Offenbach, Thomas, Rossini, and Tchaikovsky, inter alia. It is odd to me that his wonderful Rodolfo from "La Boheme" is not included. One of my first opera experiences was at a theater in Peoria, Illinois, in which a performance of "La Boheme" was presented (with Gedda and Mirella Freni). Gedda was remarkable in the role; I wish that some works from that opera had been included here.
Some examples of his work:
"Una furtive lagrima": Gedda's smooth voice works well here, in this nice aria from Donizetti's "L'Elisir d'Amore." His polished style is compelling.
"Fra poco a me ricovera": From Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor," this is another aria handled smoothly by Gedda. His musical treatment of this piece is nice indeed. His rich voice does justice to the music.
"La donna e mobile": Nice version, although not as spirited as some. This is very musical, but I'm not sure that Ge3dda's mannered style captured the spirit of the wretched Duke of Mantua. A nice final high note.
"Il mio Tesoro": From Mozart's "Don Giovanni," this is smoothly and richly sung by Gedda. His elegant style works nicely here. Mozart asks a fair amount of the tenor here, and Gedda answers the call.
"In fernem land": This is from Wagner's "Lohengrin," and shows Gedda's range. From Mozart to Wagner is quite a stretch! Gedda sings this well, but his voice may not be ideally suited to this piece.
In addition, Gedda sings operetta as well. If only we could have heard his Rodolfo from "La Boheme"!
Wonderful, but just SOME of the very best of Nicolai Gedda Submitted on: 2005-07-02
This is but a subset of the glorious recorded singing by Nicolai Gedda; however, it is a good sampler of the repertoire that made him legendary. And, at least a couple of the tracks ("Asile Hereditaire" and Lenski's aria) seem to be his best recordings of those particular works. Gedda is a member of a small circle of famed tenors noted for disciplined and artistic vocal production. He could find and consistently produce the "ping" we all love to hear. And, that was necessarily accompanied by flawless breath control. He holds the last note of the rousing "Hereditaire" for approximately eleven seconds! Onward! Ho! The emotion and delicate treatment he showed in Lenski's aria is a high-water mark. I can not imagine it being done better.
I first heard him in a recording of La Boheme (with Freni) in 1975 and have heard him in person both in Faust (1976) and in recital (1981). Whether on stage or in recording, Gedda is remarkable and consistent. If you are new to opera or are younger and addicted to the stars of today (and some of them are very good too), you should hear Gedda. It will raise your definition for what it takes to be a great tenor. Go find a recording of Fritz Wunderlich too.
Excellent compilation Submitted on: 2005-01-29
Beautiful, easy lyric tenor; also great diction and phrasing -- a good example to any tenor on how this rep. should be sung.
One of the foremost tenors of all time
Excellent compilation