Remembering Nelson Eddy - The American Baritone

In 1993, thoroughly disillusioned with modern-day films, I remarked to my daughter that I would give anything to see the beautiful, romantic films of Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy again.

Within days, in true fairy go-mother fashion, she had tracked down “Rose Marie” and “Maytime” at “Alice in Videoland” here in Christchurch. I was both elated and terrified. How would they appear after all these years? Would my illusions be shattered? I needn’t have worried. When the MGM Lion roared and the familiar beloved music and voices soared, so did my spirits. The MAGIC was still there and it was simply wonderful.

As a schoolgirl I first saw and heard Nelson Eddy in “Rosalie” and like thousands of others, instantly fell under the spell of that glorious voice. Thrill upon thrill followed; as I caught up with all his films that had preceded “Rosalie” still an all-time favourite.

I begged my parents to be allowed singing lessons, but to my long-suffering teacher’s horror, I insisted on learning “The Four Indian Love Lyrics,” Wagner’s “Oh, Star of Eve,” and “None But the Lonely Heart,” anything, in fact, from Nelson Eddy’s enormous repertoire of opera and the classics and all most unsuitable for me.

Classically trained, and a very successful opera concert artist who could sing in six languages with the same clarity of diction in each, Nelson was called upon one night in 1933 in Los Angeles to stand in for a great soprano, Lotte Lehmann who was unwell. Such was the impact he made on his audience that he received fourteen encores and numerous curtain calls and an offer to appear in films. This he accepted with proviso that he also continue with his concert tours and thus began a fabulous career in film. He had remained an opera concert singer in the US only, the world might never have known him, What a loss that would have been.

His first film in 1935, “Naughty Marietta,” in which he starred with Jeanette MacDonald, surpassed all expectations and was a smash hit. The New York American wrote, “The screen has found a thrilling thrush, possessed not only of a rare vocal tone but of a personality, and form and features cast in heroic mold.” An Adonis, in fact!

Since 1993, the availability of his films on video, and reissues of his songs on CD and the kindness and generosity of members of the Nelson Eddy Appreciation Society have enabled me to complete my collection of his films so that at press of a button, I can enter the portals of the musical Paradise any time I wish.

Through this Society, which perpetuates his memory in the form of the Nelson Eddy Scholarship Foundations designed to assist asppiring young baritones, I have made wonderful friends all over New Zealand, the USA, Britain and the rest of the World, and can assure you there are no nicer people than those who admire Nelson Eddy, the American baritone of all time.

Written and published by Aroha Moore, former New Zealand Representative