Sergei Lemeshev

Sergei Lemeshev studied at Moscow Conservatory. The recorded working language is Russian. The field of work recorded is opera, chamber music and estrada. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are opera, chamber music and estrada. Employment is recorded with Moscow Conservatory, Stanislavski and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Academic Music Theatre and Yekaterinburg Opera and Ballet Theatre. Distinctions recorded are Stalin Prize, 2nd degree, Order of Lenin, Order of the Badge of Honour and People's Artist of the USSR.

• Name — Sergei Lemeshev • Birth Name — Sergei Yakovlevich Lemeshev • Born — 10 July 1902 • Birthplace — Staroe Knyazevo, Tverskoy Uyezd, Tver Governorate, Russian Empire • Died — 27 June 1977 • Place of death — Moscow, Soviet Union • Occupation — Operatic singer • Years Active — 1926–1975

Lemeshev was born into a peasant family, and his father wanted him to become a cobbler. In 1914, he left a parish school and was sent to be trained to make shoes in Saint Petersburg. In 1917, he graduated from school in Tver, where he received vocal training. He began first at a local workers' club and later moved to Moscow. Between 1921 and 1925, he studied at the Moscow Conservatory with Nazari Raisky. In 1924, he sang in the opera studio of Konstantin Stanislavski. From 1926 and 1931, he sang in the theatres of Sverdlovsk, Harbin, and Tbilisi. In 1931 Lemeshev was invited to the Bolshoi Theatre, made his debut, and eventually became the theatre's soloist. His lyrical tenor of a soft and light timbre brought him popularity among admirers of the operatic art. The prime years of his operatic career were from 1931 to 1942. He was also a concert singer and a performer of traditional Russian folk songs. In 1938, he became the first artist to sing all 100 romances by Tchaikovsky in 5 concerts. Folk songs broadcast on the radio further sealed his stature as a national singer.

The beginning of the Great Patriotic War was crucial for Lemeshev; during one evacuation he caught a very bad cold which resulted in two attacks of pneumonia, complicated by pleurisy and tuberculosis of the right lung. He was treated with artificial pneumothorax, which induced the therapeutic collapse of one lung. Although singing was forbidden, he adapted by being more conscious and sensitive with regard to his technique, and continued to sing with one lung from 1942 to 1948, when the other lung was also artificially collapsed and re-inflated. During that period he recorded Lakmé, The Snow Maiden, Les pêcheurs de perles, Mozart and Salieri and pieces from operas like The Barber of Seville and Rigoletto. In 1947, he toured and performed at the Berlin State Opera. Along with his friendly rival, tenor Ivan Kozlovsky, he was the leading tenor at the Bolshoi until 1956.

Lemeshev's signature role was as Lensky in Eugene Onegin by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and he performed it more than 500 times from 1927 onwards. He performed it for the last time on his 70th birthday, after suffering three heart attacks and having a lung removed.

In 1953 Lemeshev was given the prestigious title People's Artist of the USSR. He was also appointed assistant manager of the Bolshoi from 1957 to 1959. He debuted as director in 1951, with the production of La traviata in the Maly Opera Theatre in Leningrad (now known as the Mikhailovsky Theatre). Following this, he was made director for the production of Massenet's Werther in 1957 at the Bolshoi. Toward the end of his career, he mainly gave concerts of Russian classic romances and folk songs, with performances aired on the radio, and taught in the Moscow Conservatory as associate professor. He was buried in the Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow.

Lemeshev's talent, artistry, acting skills and conspicuous charm very quickly made him a public idol. Almost all his performances during the 1930s and 1940s were accompanied by crowds of fans following him through the streets, spending days and nights near his house. While Lemeshev was one of the leading tenors of the Bolshoi Theatre, he was admired by female fans, who were jokingly called "lemeshistki." The theatre lobby was a venue for scuffles between the "lemeshistki" and the "kozlovityanki" (female fans of Lemeshev's rival Ivan Kozlovsky). Additionally, the film "The Musical Story" (1940) in which he played the main role, brought him the Stalin prize, and even more widespread furore and fame all over the USSR.

Six marriages and numerous affairs focused the attention of Lemeshev's fans on his personal life. His fourth wife was the famous soprano Irina Maslennikova, who gave birth to Lemeshev's daughter Maria. Ultimately, he found his life partner in singer Vera Kudryavtseva. Their marriage lasted for over 20 years, until Lemeshev's death in 1977.

"Soft spoken and self-effacing, Lemeshev hated his star status and all the pomp and partying that it implied. His workaholic attitude and exactingness were legendary and directors, conductors, accompanists, and fellow singers always found him a nice and easygoing man everyone loved to work with…" (Voice of Russia) "He sang sul soffio (leaning on the breath), avoided stressful abdominal respiration (only Caruso could do it), and directed the sound current to the mask, the method of singing which was so much Lauri-Volpi's gospel." (Dr. Joseph Fragala) "He developed a mixed voice of incomparable beauty, which made it possible for him to take the highest notes with such beautiful richness that even specialists could not explain how it was done technically….His high C’s … sounded virile and full…His manner of lowering his larynx a bit on high notes allowed him to perform the parts which ordinary lyric tenors did not sing, [roles such as] Rodolfo in La Bohème, Levko in May Night, Dubrovsky, Fra Diavolo…" (A.Orfenov)

Sergei Lemeshev worked in opera, chamber music, estrada, directing and singing. He was employed by Moscow Conservatory, Stanislavski and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Academic Music Theatre, Yekaterinburg Opera and Ballet Theatre, Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre and Bolshoi Theatre.

Sergei Lemeshev is recorded with the occupation theatre director. Recorded with the occupation music educator. Recorded with the occupation opera singer. Classed in the genre chamber music. Classed in the genre estrada. Classed in the genre opera. Recorded as having received Stalin Prize, 2nd degree, Order of Lenin and Order of the Badge of Honour.