Gedda's high D's (Vieni fra queste braccia) with Sutherland

Nicolai Gedda, the Czar of High D's, sings the duet 'Vieni fra queste braccia' (from Puritani) with Sutherland in a April 1963 concert. Conducted by Richard Bonynge.

Rumors are that when Gedda started singing he could barely muster anything above a G (above middle C)...and that two years later he was sliding easily to D's above high C. Not sure whether these rumors are true, but it cannot be denied that Gedda's top register was the most glorious sound that ever came from a man's throat.

If you love dazzling stratospheric high notes and Russians, then Gedda is probably your favorite tenor. Here you will hear him sing two D's and a high C.

Name me one tenor who sings better D's than Gedda.

Trivia: Some of you probably know that Gedda's real name was Nicolai Ustinov. In fact, he was a distant relative of actor Peter Ustinov.