File:Leo Slezak - Mishkin Studio, New York - The grand opera singers of to-day (1912).jpg

Identifier: grandoperasinger02lahe (find matches)
Title: The grand opera singers of to-day : an account of the leading operatic stars who have sung during recent years, together with a sketch of the chief operatic enterprises
Year: 1912 (1910s)
Authors: Lahee, Henry Charles, 1856-1953
Subjects: Singers Opera
Publisher: Boston : L. C. Page
Contributing Library: Harold B. Lee Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University

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ed musical ability early and by thetime he was twenty-two years of age was al-ready well known as an opera singer through-out Austria and Germany. Slezak made his first conspicuous successwhen he sang at Berlin as a guest, in Lohen-grin, the result of the performance being acontract for several years at the Royal Opera.In 1900 he appeared at Covent Garden, and thefollowing year at Vienna. In 1908 he suddenly left Vienna and went toParis. He refused all engagements and workedhard with Jean de Reszke, almost entirelychanging his method of voice production,making a remarkable improvement in hisvoice. Slezak has a very powerful voice of beautifulquality. He is an excellent actor and an adeptin the art of costuming and make-up. He issix feet, three inches in height, and broadshouldered, also he is affable and courteous.His greatest role is that of Otello, in which heis considered superior to any singer sinceTamagno. He made his New York debut onNovember 18, 1909, and was successful, — he
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Copyright by Mishkin Studio, New York LEO SLEZAK The Metropolitan Opera-House 319 impressed the audience. Later lie appeared insong recitals, and revealed an art which fewbelieved him to possess, for the part of theheroic tenor in opera does not lead one to ex-pect the very true and fine sense of vocal style,in a long and varied programme, such as Mr.Slezak displayed. The following paragraph is an extract froman account of Slezaks impersonation of Otelloin which Baklanoff sang lago: The great Slezak crowded into insignifi-cance every other figure in the opera. Cassiobecame but a name, a pin prick, a reason forthe Moors emotions. It is jointly by the dis-tinction of Verdis and Shakespeares design,of the necessity of his being, of Slezaks ac-ceptance of that necessity, and finally by dintof his own personal vigor and artistry, thatBaklanoff forced his lago into the frame andgave the figure its due proportions. Alexander Kubitzky, who appeared duringthe season of 1909-1910, is described

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