Nash, Heddle
Nash, Heddle
Nash, Heddle, admired English tenor; b. London, June 14, 1896; d. there, Aug. 14, 1961. He was a chorister at Westminster Abbey in London. After training in London, he studied with Borgatti in Milan, where he made his operatic debut at the Teatro Carcano as Rossini’s Count Almaviva in 1924. Returning to London, he sang the Duke of Mantua at his first appearance at the Old Vic Theatre in 1925. From 1926 to 1929 he appeared with the British National Opera Co. In 1929 he made his debut at Covent Garden as Don Ottavio, singing there until 1939. During World War II, he appeared with the Carl Rosa Opera Co. In 1947–48 he again sang at Covent Garden. In 1957–58 he appeared with the New Opera Co. He was greatly esteemed for his roles in operas by Mozart and Rossini. Among his other distinguished roles were David in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Gounod’s Faust, and Rodolfo. He also was a notable concert singer, winning particular renown for his interpretation of Elgar’s Gerontius. His son, John Heddle Nash (b. London, March 30, 1928; d. there, Sept. 29, 1994), was a baritone who sang at the Sadler’s Wells Theatre and with the Carl Rosa Opera Co.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis Mclntire