On Tuesday, December 11, 2001 at 2:53:40 PM UTC-8, Pandora Helms wrote:
> I've spent some time researching Eddy, especially his opera years--the
> Philadelphia papers, reviews, critics. Did a search on google re
> comments on him. One long thread re the first performance of Wozzeck in
> the U.S and Nelson's role as the drum major. It was at the Metropolitan
> in Nov. 1931 with Stokowski conducting the Philadelphia Symphony. Nelson
> mde his opera debut in Jan 1922 at the age of 20 as the king of Greece
> in The Marriage Tax.The critic for the Philadelphia Publc Ledger wrote
> "Remember the name Nelson Eddy , the young man has a voice that thrilled
> because of its perfect control, clear resonant tone and excetional
> quality". He signed with the Philadelphia Civic Opera 2 years later,
> and became the Golden Boy of the Opera and audiences alike. Philadelpha
> Record 2-12-25 "Mr. Eddy was a star from the moment he stepped on stage"
> Conductors like Stokowski and Toscanini began using Nelson , and in
> 1931, he sang 8 roles during opera season and had a repertoire of 33
> operatic roles. He was so popular that he easily survived a scandal,
> when he had an affair with maybelle Marsten, a soprano, whose husband
> sued for divorce and custody of their child. The critcs' praise
> continued, and since Nelson looked against type as an opera singer(being
> neither Italian, stout or short) often included his phyisical
> appearance. He was, noted some critics "tall, slender, blond and blue
> eyed"
> Nelson began his concert career in 1928; in conjunction with opera. He
> made 2 trips to Europe in th 20's to study in France and Germany. He was
> offered a contract with the Dresden Opera, but turned it down. He was
> appearing at a concert in LA in 1933, and a producer form MGM heard him
> sing, and offered him a contract. Nelson thought movie exposure would
> give him bigger concert audiences--which it did--he never expected the
> tremendous hit that Naughty Marietta turned out to be. He was then
> offered a contract with the Metropolitan which he turned down (much to
> his regret later in life) But, by then he had met Jeanette, and their on
> again off again obsession that lasted 30 years till her death, and his 2
> years later. His last opera appearance was in San Francisco 1935, as
> Amonsaro in Aida. The San Francisco Examiner wrote "He is one of the
> great voices of the century, suave, aristocratic, yet as forceful as the
> music demands." He never wanted to be remembered for the films, but for
> concerts and opera.

In 1953, he appeared on the tv program WHAT'S MY LINE?:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igoK00ojn5Q