[1][2] Israil Levenson was born in the town of Kobeliaky, Poltava Governorate, to the family of a Jewish teacher.

One of the musicians he made friends with, Ippolit Pryanishnikov helped the young man to join the Kiev opera choir.

[3] After studying for two years under Camille Everardi, in 1892 Alexander Davydov made his debut at the Tiflis opera.

In 1900 he joined the Saint Petersburg's Mariinsky Theatre and made his debut there as Hermann in The Queen of Spades to huge critical and popular acclaim.

[3] In 1914 due to progressing deafness Davydov was forced to quit opera but continued to perform, singing popular songs and romances.