Description

LEV SIBIRYAKOV (LEOPOLDO SPIVACCHINI) (SPIVAK LEIB) (POLONNOE, PROVINCE OF KHMELNITSKAYA, UKRAINE, 1869 – WARSAW, POLAND, 1938)

 

 

 

 

Spivak Leib, known by his stage name Leopoldo Spivacchini, was an opera singer born in Polonne, Ukraine. He married the daughter of a theatrical figure named Sibiryakov, adopting the surname as his stage name. He initially studied with Fiorini in Odessa, where he made his opera debut. Later, he traveled to Italy to further his training under Cesare Rossi.

In 1895, he made his Italian debut, and soon after, at the invitation of the renowned conductor Arturo Toscanini, he began performing at La Scala in Milan, where he enjoyed great success from 1897 to 1900. Spivacchini also sang at other prestigious Italian opera houses, including the Teatro San Carlo in Naples.

Following his success in Italy, Spivacchini appeared in various cities, including Tbilisi, Kharkov, Kiev, and Baku. From 1902 to 1904 and again from 1909 to 1921, he was a soloist at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. He also sang at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow from 1902 to 1903.

His career included guest performances in Riga (1910), Boston (1910-11), London at Covent Garden (1911), Berlin (1912), Paris (1921), Brussels (1938), and Monte Carlo (1932). After 1921, Spivacchini settled in Poland, where he taught at the Warsaw Conservatory.

Spivacchini was renowned for his powerful, well-rounded voice with a soft timbre, and he was particularly admired for his mastery of the mezza-voce technique. His voice was often compared to the sound of a violoncello, praised for its rich and resonant quality across all registers.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1896 Biella Teatro Sociale Favorita (Baldassarre)

1896 Biella  Teatro Sociale Linda di Chamounix  (Prefetto)

1896 L’Aquila  Teatro Comunale Favorita (Baldassarre)

1896 Rieti  Teatro Vespasiano Favorita (Baldassarre)

1897 Milano La Scala Don Carlo (il Grande Inquisitore, un frate)

1897 Lucca Teatro del Giglio Aida

1897 Barcelona Liceu Samson et Dalila

1897 Barcelona Liceu Hamlet

1898 Cremona  Politeama Verdi Boheme (Colline)

1898 Cremona  Politeama Mefistofele (Mefistofele)

1899 Parma Teatro Regio Mefistofele (Mefistofele)

1899 Milan La Scala Sigfrido (Fafner)

1900 Milan La Scala Lohengrin (Araldo)

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

A heavy stone lies on my heart (Dargomizhsky) (w. Okuneva) 28076 Pathé, St. Petersburg 1911-1912

A heavy stone lies on my heart (Dargomizhsky) (w. Okuneva) 45883 45883 Beka, Berlin 1910

A Life for the Tzar (Glinka) 1-75096 6441-o- Favorite, St. Petersburg 01-02-1909

A word of farewell (Slonov) 45871 45871 Beka, Berlin 1910

Ach thou, dear night 35619 35619 Columbia, Saint Petersburg 1906

Askold’s Tomb (Verstovsky) In olden days our forefathers lived 4-22139 14819 Gramophone 23-9-10

Asylum (Schubert) 1-75103 6449-o Favorite, St. Petersburg 01-02-1909

At the gates of Eden a tende rangel (Ehrlich) 4-22136 14816 Gramophone 23-9-10

Aufenthalt (Schubert) 4-22431 16708 Gramophone St. Petersburg 4-10-12

Bacchic song (Glazunov) 4-22419 16684b Gramophone St. Petersburg 1-10-12

Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini) La callunia 1-75285 2097-b- Favorite, St. Petersburg

Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini) La callunia 3-22502 4803L G&T, St. Petersburg 11-1906

Bohème (Puccini) Colline’s aria – Vecchia zimarra Gramophone St. Petersburg 4-22210 14805 19-9-10

Boris Godunov (Mussorgsky) Ariya Pimena, A1 – Eshche odno poslednie skazane 022327 2881c Gramophone, 28-10-13

Boris Godunov (Mussorgsky) Duet Marini i Ronconi, 1-ya chast, 2-ya chast 024090, 024091, 2905c, 2906c Gramophone, 12-11-13

Boris Godunov (Mussorgsky) In the town of Kazan 4-22128 14804 Gramophone St. Petersburg 19-9-10

Christ is risen (Rachmaninoff) 1-75259 2063-b- Favorite, St. Petersburg

Crucifix (Faure) Romance (w. Okuneva) 45882 45882 Beka, Berlin 1910

Demon (Rubinstein) Accursed world 4-22368 16516b Gramophone St. Petersburg 6-5-12

Demon (Rubinstein) I am he whose voice you heard 4-22452 16739 Gramophone, 7-10-12

 

Demon (Rubinstein) I am he whose voice you heard in the night 4-22369 16517b Gramophone, 6-5-12

Die beiden Grenadiere (Schumann) 1-75097 6443-o- Favorite, St. Petersburg 01-02-1909

Die beiden Grenadiere (Schumann) 12860 Syrena

Die beiden Grenadiere (Schumann) 45870 45870 Beka, Berlin 1910

Disenchantment Op 65 No 2 (Tchiakovsky) 4-22132 14811b Gramophone, St. Petersburg 20-09-1910

Don Carlo (Verdi) Ella giammai m’amo… Dormiro sol, nel manto mio regal 022176, 022177 2047c, 2046c Gramophone 27-9-10

Don Giovanni (Mozart) Serenade B 45879 45879 Parlophone

Don Juan (Napravnik) Serenade 4-22055 6920r Gramophone St. Petersburg -11-09

Ermak (Ballad, with piano) (Dobrovolsky) 022206 2442c Gramophone, St. Petersburg 25-9-11

Ernani (Verdi) O nestchastniy, ya zhil mechtoyu 022172 2031c Gramophone St. Petersburg 20-9-10

Ernani (Verdi) O nestchastniy, ya zhil mechtoyu 45864 Beka

Faust (Gounod) Church scene – Seigneur, daignez permettre (w. Katulskaya) 024074 2740c Gramophone, 20-3-13

Faust (Gounod) Il était temps 2-22308 2374k G&T

Faust (Gounod) Que voulez-vous, messieurs (w. Vitting & Bragin) 024040 2036c Gramophone, 23-9-10

Faust (Gounod) Song of the Golden Calf 1-75150 6528-0 Favorite, St. Petersburg 1910

Faust (Gounod) Vous qui faites l’endormie B 45867 45867 Parlophone

Faust (Gounod) Vous qui faites l’endormie 2-23935 1134r G&T, St. Petersburg 06-1906

Flyes (Greve-Sobolevskaya) 1-75101 6447-o- Favorite, St. Petersburg 01-02-1909

Flyes (Greve-Sobolevskaya) 45869 45869 Beka, Berlin 1910

Goodnight, my star, forgive me, Tobolsk convict’s song (arr Harteveld) 4-22171 14872 Gramophone, 29-9-10

 

Guslar (Rechkunov) 36123 36123 Columbia, Saint Petersburg 1906

He goes tired 1-75118 6555-0- Favorite, St. Petersburg 01-02-1909

Huguenots (Meyerbeer) Tu m’as compris, adieu! (w. Bronskaja) 024098 285af Gramophone, St Petersburg 1914-01-18

Huguenots (Meyerbeer) Piff, paff, piff, paff 36184 36184-1X Columbia

Huguenots (Meyerbeer) Piff, paff, piff, paff 45876 45876 Beka, Berlin 1910

Huguenots (Meyerbeer) Seigneur, rempart et seul soutien 45868 45868 Beka, Berlin 1910

In the wild north (Dargomyzhsky) (w. Michailova & Bolshakov) 24400 3458L G&T, St. Petersburg 1905

Judith (Serov) Cease your grumbling 022319 2730c Gramophone St. Petersburg 15-3-13

Lakmé (Delibes) Stances – Lakmé, ton doux regard 35614 35614-1-5 Columbia

Lakmé (Delibes) Stances – Lakmé, ton doux regard with orchestra 45865 45865 Beka

Life for the Tsar (Glinka) Our hearts rejoice… Oh God, love our Tsar (w. Bolshakov, Makarova and Michailova) 24422 3454L Gramophone

Life for the Tsar (Glinka) Quartet – The rose which blooms in the garden (w. Nikitina, Labinskij & Michailova) 024030 422s St. Petersburg, Gramophone 11-1909

Life for the Tsar (Glinka) The rose which blooms (w. Nikitina, Labinskij & Michailova) 2-24157 7839L Gramophone, St. Petersburg 1908

Life for the Tsar (Glinka) Trio, pt 1 Scene & Trio, pt 2 (w. Alexandrovich & chorus) 024084 2888c, 024085, 2910½c Gramophone, St Petersburg 1913-11-05, 14

Life for the Tsar (Glinka) We must prepare (w. Nikitina, Labinsky & Michailova) 2-24158 7841L Gramophone, St. Petersburg 1908

Lohengrin (Wagner) Molitva korolya 022175 2033c Gramophone, St. Petersburg 20-9-10

Mefistofele (Boito) Ave Signor 022149 427s Gramophone, St. Petersburg 11-1909

Mefistofele (Boito) Ecco il mondo 3-22887 8026L Gramophone, St. Petersburg 1908

Mefistofele (Boito) Se tu mi doni un ora (w. Vitting) 024041 2037c Gramophone, St. Petersburg 1910

Mefistofele (Boito) Son lo spirito 3-22835 7919L Gramophone, St. Petersburg 1908

 

Mefistofele (Boito) Son lo spirito 36183 36183 Columbia, St. Petersburg 1907

Mefistofele (Boito) Vous qui faites l’endormie 1-75149 6527-0 Favorite, St. Petersburg 1910

Mephistopheles song of the flea – Once there was a king (Mussorgsky) 45872 45872 Beka, Berlin 1910

Molis, romans Villamov [Pray, Romance] 4-22461 17159 Gramophone, 22-12-12

My mouth is silent (Bleichmann) 1-75258 2056-b- Favorite St. Petersburg

No, No, Do not say (Vilinsky) 1-75277 2054-b- Favorite, St. Petersburg 31-05-1910

Not the autumn drizzle (Russian folk song) 4-22451 16706 Gramophone St. Petersburg 4-10-12

O bitter fate 2601 R.A.O.G, 1905

Oh Fate, My Fate 1-75133 6617-о- Favorite, St. Petersburg 11-02-1909

Oh, if Mother Volga (Cui) 4-22134 14813 Gramophone 20-9-10

Oh, you are my fate (Prisoner’s song , arr. Harteveld) 4-22169 14870 Gramophone St. Petersburg 29-9-10

Pique Dame (Tchaikovsky) Darling maidens (Tomski’s aria) 1-75291 2096-b- Favorite, St. Petersburg 02-06-1910

Polkovodetz [Songs and Dances of Death Field-Marshal Death] (Musorgsky) 022328 2904c, Gramophone 12-11-13

Pray (Villamov) 2-22901 3472L Gramophone, St. Petersburg 1905

Prince Igor (Borodin) Song of Vladimir Galitsky 24273 Pathé, St. Petersburg 1909

Requiem (Verdi) Confutatis maledictis 062059 2899c Gramophone, 7-11-13

Rogneda (Serov) Khor strannikov, A3 Serov, s khorom 022361 2966c Gramophone, 28-11-14

Rusalka (Dargomizhsky) Duet Melnika i Knyazya – Zdorovo zyat (w. Alexandrovich) 024070, 024071, 2662c 2673c Gramophone, 16-10-12

Sadko (Rimsky-Korsakov) Song of the Viking Guest – Against the cruel crags 1-75148 6442-o- Favorite, St. Petersburg 01-02-1909

Sadko (Rimsky-Korsakov) Song of the Viking Guest – Against the cruel crags 36124 36124 Columbia, St. Petersburg 1907

 

Si vous l’aviez compris (Denza) 28062 Pathé, St. Petersburg 1911-1912

Simone Boccanegra (Verdi) Simone’s Aria 2-52561 4807L Gramophone, St. Petersburg 11-1906

Sonnambula (Bellini) Vi ravviso, o luoghi ameni 4-22318 15865 Gramophone St. Petersburg 20-9-11

Stabat Mater (Rossini) Pro peccatis 022332 2898c Gramophone St. Petersburg 7-11-13

Thais (Thomas) Duo de la source – Baigne d’eau (w. Katulskaya) 2-24218 17242 Gramophone, St. Petersburg 15-3-13

The anchor (Dobrovolsky) 4-22430 16707 Gramophone St. Petersburg 4-10-12

The execution (Gaiser) 22238 2440c Gramophone, St. Petersburg 25-09-1911

The midnight review (Glinka) 4-22366 16515 Gramophone St. Petersburg 6-5-12

The mountain tops (Wanderers Nachtlied (Rubinstein) (w. Katulskaya) 2-24226 17226b Gramophone, 14-3-13

The Night 1-75290 2055-b- Favorite, St. Petersburg 31-05-1910

The Oak Cudgel 1-75134 6618-о- Favorite, St. Petersburg 11-02-1909

The Sailors (Villebois) (w. Vitting) 2-24186 16682½b Gramophone, St. Petersburg 01-10-1912

The song of runner 1-75135 6619-o- Favorite, St. Petersburg 11-02-1909

The two giants (Stolypin) 4-22365 16514 Gramophone, St. Petersburg 6-5-12

These days are past (de Bove) 4-22138 14818b Gramophone, St. Petersburg 23-9-10

Those days are gone (de Beauvais) 1-75273 2050-b- Favorite, St. Petersburg 31-05-1910

Tuchi cherniye, romans Romberg [Black clouds, Romance] 4-22462 17160 Gramophone, 22-12-12

Valkiria (Wagner) Proshanie Votana 022174 2032c Gramophone St. Petersburg 20-9-10

Why was I born (Convict’s song) (arr. Harteveld) 4-22137 14872b Gramophone 23-9-10

Why, I am a boy was born 1-75119 6556-0- Favorite, St. Petersburg 01-02-1909