BECK, KLINOS:
By: Isidore Singer, Max Weisz
Hungarian singer; born in 1868 at Budapest, where he attended commercial schools. He received the elements of a thorough musical education from Abrányi Kornél, whose pupil he remained throughout his career at the National Musical Academy, where he also studied the piano with Sándor Nikolics, and composition with H. Gobbi. At the age of nineteen he began his studies as an operatic singer, and against the wishes of his father went to Paris in order to prepare himself for the stage. At the Conservatoire there he obtained a free scholarship and two prizes. In 1892 he returned to Budapest, where, under the management of Count Gera Zichy, he made his début in Thomas' "Hamlet" with such success that he was at once engaged at the opera. He still (1902) retains the position of one of the leading operatic artists of Hungary.
- Pallas Lexicon.
