SERGEI LEMESHEV Questa o Quella +La Donna e Mobile 1941

[federricoilgrande]

Bello come un dio, bravo come un diavolo :) adoro Lemedhev !

[AxmxZ]

And let's face it, even if you do know the language, it's no guarantee of anything. The tenors are from everywhere, so are the operas, and their languages rarely coincide.

[saiga72]

Мда, посмотрел бы ТАК на меня такой герцог, живым бы не ушёл! )))

[younglemeshevist]

@saiga72 В каком смысле ?

[saiga72]

@younglemeshevist ну в каком смысле мужчина может уйти неживым от женщины? ;))

[younglemeshevist]

@saiga72 :)Это да, конечно :. Собственно от женщин из поколения наших бабушек он и не ушел:)

[saiga72]

@younglemeshevist ))) в общем, я Лемешева люблю :)

[jeanmolin55]

Splendido video; splendida voce! BRAVO!!! *****

[AustrianAdrian]

bless the time when singers dominated the stages above modern directors

[dantitustimshu]

Lemeshev simply brings the Duke to life in a portrayal that transcends languages. Many thanks, Natalie, for sharing these precious film footages. He is truly one of the greats, with a uniquely beautiful lyric voice and a charming, beguiling stage presence and charisma to match. 

[TheInimitableKaka]

Is the recording too fast? Or is he singing la donna up half a step?

[mjaymayer]

@TheInimitableKaka Every one of the Lemeshev recordings I've listened to so far are a half-step high. So either he liked to sing in a higher key or the transfers are at the wrong speed. Most likely the latter because they often seem a little fast as well. Too bad. He is very good, I'd like to hear what he really sounds like.

[TORRESVI]

It's sung in russian, it's not loyal to the script, the sound is poor and yet, that voice, that voice... even if the film were partially damaged it wouldn't matter, one of the greatest without any question.

[quinariuscoin]

I have to comment on this tenor, awesome , bad sound quality or not

[Love09081979]

The most beautiful tenor voice of all times!

[paulostroff99]

Awesome

[mikemcgee]

i thought in the original opera the character was playing solitare as he sang la dona mobile but i guess he the film maker must of restaged it

[bomelius]

гениально

[ditogam]

Absolutely amazing video!!! Lemeshev had one of the beautifulest lyric voice ever!!!

[orkinese]

What a charming duke Lemeshev makes: the voice (which alone can seduce anyone), the looks, and that twinkle in the eye; one begins to understand why Gilda gave up her life for him. I would have done the same just for that fabulous voice :)

[younglemeshevist]

I totally agree:)

[Yasmund]

He takes it easier, with that twinkle in the eye ;) Thank you for this comment.

[Elsplash17]

@orkinese

agree too

[orkinese]

To those who object to it being sung in Russian, think again: do you really regret the fact that so many people (without access to opera theatre or recordings, listening often on the radio) could not only understand what he was singing about but could also appreciate the perfect harmony (in Lemeshevs case) between the words and the music. These days, with opera performed in the original language, some tenors might as well be singing in Martian for all the audience is able to understand.

[zgopify]

@orkinese That was the practice in many countríes at that time, especially in Europe. I say the same thing, thank god we got the arias, if I could change all todays tenors so that at least ONE had the voice of Lemeshev, they could go singing in crocodile language as far as I am concerned. They can act like Brando, but I wish they'd sing too...

[potitodos]

Fantastic tenor voice...thanks for sharing such wonderful aria!!! in spite of the sound!!!

[spqrmor]

brilliant tenor of all times!

[fairlytaleofnewyork]

this is absolutely wonderful! I am actually discovering your videos at the moment. Apart from Lemeshov's great singing, whole video is very beautiful and so attractive to my eyes.

Thank you so much for posting this video. This is a great experience for me!

[aulavocal]

GRANDE

[pkohalloran]

holy crap, this guy is awesome

[Lenochka1107]

It is very interesting video! Thanks!!

[gomongio]

Where can I find the lyrics in Russian for these excerpts?

[EdmundStAustell]

Один из лучших теноров всех времен. И он был не только великим тенором, но и великим актером.

[Imogenn]

Great video, thank you for posting!

[Kofenikov]

Замечательно. Великий Лемешев!

[coryisawake]

восхитительно!

[lilySaulite]

а вот козловский имел совершенно другой характер, хотя у него также был замечательный голос и тоже легион поклонниц.

[lilySaulite]

Но они его все-равно гдето доставали.Однажды она увидела его и он даже жаловался:"посмотрите Наташенька, что дурочки сделали".А у него сзади на пиджаке вся спина была изодрана в лоскутья-поклонницы на память розодрали.

[lilySaulite]

К нему хорошо относились, у него не было надменности и капризов.Поклонницы следили за ним с соседней крыши с биноклями.Дворник их гонял.Служебный авто его домой почти в подъезд ввозил из=за фанаток.

[lilySaulite]

какие-то бытовые вещи, личные впечатления...что он был внимательным,ласковым,когда встречался - спрашивал, как она, ребенка угощал конфетами.

[lilySaulite]

моя тетка жила с ним в одном доме и всегда расскаывала о нем с большой симпатией.Говорила,что он был необыкновенно добрым и скромным человеком.

[younglemeshevist]

Охотно верю. Интересно, она рассказывала еще что-нибудь?

[stefakamelpash]

Вы правы! Он один из лучших теноров всех времен!

If there has been another tenor like this recently, I certainly haven't seen or heard him!

[Urzhum]

Непревзойжённый голос! Второго такого ещё не было пока ещё :)

[stefakamelpash]

Он очень красивый. Трико--скандал. :):)

[younglemeshevist]

Видимо, цензура сталинских времен была слабовата:)

Красивый - это точно.

[stefakamelpash]

Ha, ha! Yes, it's curious that here in the United States there would have been an uproar, especially back in the 30's, but seemingly, the severity of the Stalinist regime was mainly limited to unapproved political discourse, as compared to propriety in the theater:) But I absolutely agree, he was an astonishing great tenor, and as handsome as he was brilliant. The same thing that is often said of Corelli. Thanks for posting this magnificent tenor!

[younglemeshevist]

Quite in contrary, the censorship was very strict in film and theatre . Especially in film, and this video is a part of the film- concert. But it looks like the Soviet censorship was less strict than the American one :)

Corelli was taller and more handsome without makeup, but I prefer Lemeshev as a singer and actor .

[tena2]

does this man actually sings any opera at all in its original language?

This sounds aweful in russian?

[younglemeshevist]

No he didn't . In the USSR they sang only in Russian.

[facellina]

Not only. But it is much better to sing in clear Russian than incomprehensible Italian. (Check Placido Domingo for Lensky aria from Eugen Onegin - it is impossible to listen being a native Russian speaker).

[ditogam]

@facellina From non Shavian singers I think Nail Shicoff 's interpretation of Lensky 's aria is one of greatest.

[RADAMES1983]

An the 19 cen -beginning of the 20 cen. Operas usually have been translated in each country.

Since the 50th-60th there is a tradition to sing in the original language,.

[Yasmund]

Amour (avec des flèches etc) en personne.

[artofviolin]

Lemeshev is great! for me -this is a part of my life, of my youth. I was a big fan of Lemeshev, never missed any of operas in bolshoi theater with him singing. He was my hero, my ideal, he was a very good looking man. In those time I was 16.....All my girlfriends, all of us were in love with him.

[TrovadorManrique]

ADDED TO FAVORITES DURING THE FIRST TWO MINUTES!!

That's great... I WANT TO SEE THE COMPLETE MOVIE!!!

[younglemeshevist]

Unfortunately, the complete movie doesn't exist:( This video is just a "number" from the film-concert. Lemeshev didn't even record complete "Rigoletto", though he sang it for 25 years. Stupid Soviet system.

[TrovadorManrique]

Oh, what a pity. Anyway, this video is a treasure :).

[younglemeshevist]

I totally agree

[mikolomouse]

Great!

[stefakamelpash]

WOW!! What a spectacular clip! I knew that Lemeshev was a great tenor (if only we could have heard him in the West!) but this footage offers a chance to see him act also. Galina Vishnevskaya, in her autobiography, said that he was a wonderful actor, and watching this it is easy to see that it was true. Великолепно! Спасибо!

[ecotton21]

Oh MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!! this is so beautiful!

[younglemeshevist]

I'm glad that you liked it:)