Customer Reviews

Nicolai Gedda: My Life and Art (Opera Biographies (Amadeus))

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After reading one of the reviews I wasn't so sure about this book; after all, I have been an great admirer of Nicolai Gedda since first hearing him at the Metropolitan in 1962 and I found it hard to imagine him as "petulant". I decided to take a chance on this book and I was very impressed by the truthfulness that Mr. Gedda has: unless you have been yourself a victim of psychological and emotional abuse it is very easy to state that the person is petty on past wrongs. That does not apply in Mr. Gedda's case at all: it seems like this biography is a form of journelling for him and he has finally been able to let go emotionally of the years of pent-up distress he suffered from the abuse in his family.....something NONE of the loyal fans that we were backstage at the Met had any clue about. Also, the book is very imformative as to his technique and opinions on literature: discography a little sketchy....I highly recommend this book: it must have hurt him to reveal all the suffering he went through, but he released his torment by doing that....and thanks to Aino, Nicolai Gedda has finally found the happiness he deserves, after giving all of us the pleasure of hearing him sing (through years of his inner struggles): read the book--it's worth it!

Many autobiographies are a dull recitation of "I sang here and there" and "My this and that." Nicolai Gedda's memoirs are one of the all-too-few volumes to rise above that and present a thoughtful story of an outstanding career. Of course, Mr Gedda discusses his performances and roles but they are done with a modesty that shows he didn't think the whole production revolved around him.

My only quibble about the book is the lack of a true discography. The list of recordings and general dates doesn't do more than demonstrate the depth and range of Mr Gedda's art.

A highly recommendable book.

Nicolai Gedda is one of the greatest Tenors of our time,and especially in French repertoire, he is second to none. This biography is a lovely gift to Gedda's admirers. It was to be hoped that there should be more information and data of his stage performances.

This for any opera lover is a must. Mr Gedda was one of the great singers between the 1950s and 1980s, he did not take a backseat to any of his contemporary. His book is wonderful reading, it reveals the human side of a great artist and the humility of a grand person. Highly recommended reading, you will be overjoyed.

The book is great, and gives us an understanding of what makes Mr. Gedda the artist that he is. I already knew a great deal about Mr. Gedda but it is wonderful to read about his life.

I wish I could be enthusiastic about this book. Nicolai Gedda is truly one of the greatest singers of the century. But in this memoir he comes off as petulant and unpleasant. He spends too much time dwelling on past trangressions, inconveniences and problems and not enough on his career and the music. I welcome his honesty about his family background, but am disturbed at the way his parents are portrayed.

Unfortunately the book is not redeemed by either the writing style nor the fragmented nature of the narrative.

Better than some recent singer biographies (Sutherland et. al.) but still disappointing. This is a side of Gedda I wish I didn't know.

I found this book to be extremely readable. However, I do not believe Mr. Gedda is as modest as he claims to be. Granted his childhood was terrible, with his father's beatings and his mother's verbal abuse but I find it hard to be completely sympathetic to him. Maybe because he chooses to wipe out his parents' transgressions that he turned out to be more docile than other singers. Not to mention living with his family when he should have flown the coup and still letting his parents control his life long past when he should have stood up on his own. There is something very childlike about him.

He's not the only child to find his mother isn't who he thinks she was. Bobby Darin was an adult when he found out his real mother was his "sister." Damaging, indeed.

What I found annoying was Mr. Gedda never gave a bad performance; everyone was well received while others were less fortunate. Hard to believe. And he's particularly hard on just about anyone who helped him, especially Walter Legge, simply because the man was cold. And all his agents, producers and publicists all were unhelpful.

And his comments about the Met's standards no longer as high as they once had been really galled me. Especially when he said young people aren't so anxious to perform there. Really? I cannot imagine one singer today who would turn down an appearance at the Met and the chance to perform on a broadcast heard around the world. And of course all other opera houses still have high quality performances all the time. No opera house in the world ever had some failures, some bad runs. The Met is still a grand house with wonderful productions. Guess Mr. Gedda never had time to see them.

I would rank this book as self-serving and petty.