Alchevsky I.A. (1876-1917), singer

Categories / Art/Music, Theatre/Personalia
ALCHEVSKY Ivan Alexeevich (1876-1917), opera singer, lyrical dramatic tenor. Learned to sing under elder brother, G.A. Alchevsky. From 1896 to 1901, he was in the Natural Science Department of the University of Kharkov. In 1901, he joined the Mariinsky Theatre, where he performed more than 20 roles over next four years, until 1905. Afterwards he appeared at theatres throughout Europe and the USA. In 1907-08 he was a soloist at the Moscow S.I. Zimin Opera. Then, in 1908-10 and 1912-14, Alchevsky trod the stage of the Grand-Opera in Paris. In 1914 he took part in S.P. Diaghilev's Saisons Russes in London. His tour route was comprised of theatres in Ekaterinoslav, Odessa, Kharkov, and Baku. In 1910-12 and 1915-17, he was a soloist at the Bolshoy Theatre in Moscow and the Mariinsky Theatre in Petrograd. His voice had a wide range, extending from tenor to baritone, with a masterful vocal technique. Alchevsky is still considered one of the best interpreters of the role of German in The Queen of Spades by P.I. Tchaikovsky (staged at the St. Petersburg People's House Theatre during the season of 1914/15), and the part of Don Juan in The Stone Guest by A.S. Dargomyzhsky (staged by V.E. Meyerhold at the Mariinsky Theatre). The parts that brought him world fame include Samson in C. Saint-Saens' opera Samson et Delilah, Don Jose in G. Bizet's Carmen, Radames in G. Verdi's Aida, and Tannhauser, Lohegrin and Siegfried in operas by R. Wagner. Alchevsky also possessed a vast chamber repertoire, and sometimes even worked as a stage director, drama actor and pianist.

References: Браудо Е. Памяти И. А. Алчевского // Аполлон. 1917. № 4/5; Старк Э. А. Петербургская опера и ее мастера, 1890-1910. Л.; М., 1940.

E. V. Tretyakova. Alchevsky G.A.
Alchevsky Ivan Alexeevich
Bizet Georges
Dargomyzhsky Alexander Sergeevich
Dyagilev Sergey Pavlovich
Meyerhold Vsevolod Emilievich
Saint-Saens Camille
Tchaikovsky Peter Ilyich
Verdi Giuseppe
Wagner Richard
Zimin Sergey Ivanovich
Браудо Е. Памяти И. А. Алчевского // Аполлон, 1917
Старк Э. А. Петербургская опера и ее мастера, 1890–1910. Л.; М., 1940 Mariinsky Theatre