Lev Klementyev

Picture of Lev Klementyev

Picture of Lev Klementyev

Lev Klementyev singsUn ballo in maschera: Di' tu se fedele, in Russian
In RA format

Lev Klementyev singsNéron: O pechal i toska
In RA format

Biographical notes

Lev Klementyev was born on February 12th, 1868 in St. Petersburg. He studied at a military school and then at a business school. When he was 19 years old, Lev Klementyev started singing in operetta and simultaneously took singing lessons with Krzhizhanovskij. In 1889, Lev Klementyev took singing lessons in Paris with Olivieri, and in 1890 in Milan with Petz. 1888/89, Klementyev sang in Kiev, 1889/90 in Tbilisi, 1890–1892 in St. Petersburg, and 1892–1902 at the Bolshoj (debut as German). At the Bolshoj, Klementyev sang more than 35 roles. After 1902, he sang in different theatres (1904: Paris with Shaljapin; 1906: USA). He had a powerful voice with a wide range (more than two octaves). His best roles were: Néron (Rubinstein), German, Lenskij, Canio, Raoul, José, Riccardo, and Tannhäuser. Lev Klementyev made 10 records between 1902 and 1909, all of them for the Gramophone. He died on October 13th, 1910 in Tbilisi during a concert.

I wish to thank Vladimir Efimenko for the picture, biographical notes and recording (Néron).

Go Home