Sergei Lemeshev
Soviet tenor famed for his lyrical voice and Lensky role.
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Sergei Yakovlevich Lemeshev was a Soviet and Russian opera singer and director, known for his lyrical tenor voice and his long career at the Bolshoi Theatre. He became a national idol in the USSR, admired for his performances in Russian and French operatic roles, as well as for his concert singing of folk songs and romances.
Lore & Background
Lemeshev was born into a peasant family; his father wanted him to become a cobbler. After leaving parish school in 1914, he was sent to Saint Petersburg to train as a shoemaker. He performed in theatres of Sverdlovsk, Harbin, and Tbilisi from 1926 to 1931.
In 1931 Lemeshev was invited to the Bolshoi Theatre, made his debut, and became its soloist. His prime years were from 1931 to 1942. During the Great Patriotic War, he caught a severe cold that led to pneumonia, pleurisy, and tuberculosis of the right lung.
He was treated with artificial pneumothorax and continued to sing with one lung from 1942 to 1948, when the other lung was also collapsed and re-inflated. He recorded several operas during that period. He was a leading tenor at the Bolshoi until 1956, alongside rival Ivan Kozlovsky.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Sergei Lemeshev's signature role?
Lemeshev is most closely associated with the part of Lensky in Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, a role he performed so many times at the Bolshoi that it became virtually synonymous with his name. His interpretation of the young, heartbroken poet is still cited as a benchmark for the role.
Where did Sergei Lemeshev perform?
He was a principal soloist at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow for the majority of his professional life, appearing in both Russian and French operatic repertory. He also gave widely attended concerts of Russian folk songs and romantic arias across the Soviet Union.
Why was Sergei Lemeshev considered a national idol?
His combination of a naturally beautiful lyric tenor, impeccable stage presence, and dedication to the Russian operatic tradition made him a household name during the Soviet era. Audiences and critics alike regarded him as the definitive interpreter of roles like Lensky and the Duke in Rigoletto.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Sergei Lemeshev (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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