Lemeshev sings "Sleep, My Beautiful One,' from Rimsky-Korsakov's May Night. 1940

The great Russian tenor sings a beautiful aria from a work not well known in the West, Rimsky-Korsakov's May Night. I would call attention specifically to the portamento and diminuendo to a high Bb near the end of the aria. It is spectacular. At the beginning of the clip, Clava, the love interest, is hurrying madly to the theater to hear Petya (played by Lemeshev) sing. Notice the loudspeakers. Talk about taking art to the people! The lady in the theater, who speaks before he sings, is bragging to the lady next to her that "the tenor, who is singing, lives in OUR apartment house!" In fact, it's a huge kommunalka, with one bathroom. But she's very proud nonetheless, another comic touch to the movie A Musical Story.

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Category:

Music

Tags:

• Lemeshev
• tenor
• opera
• May
• Night
• Rimsky
• Korsakov

[younglemeshevist]

He was phenomenal in this part. Thanks for the video!

[EdmundStAustell]

Thank you for introducing me to him:)

[serenaluce]

@younglemeshevist Absolutely agree with you here! This part is made for him, or he for this part! Bravo Lemeshev! Thanks for posting.

[Bivolari]

An example of the best singing.