Opera Singer. A lyric tenor who performed in many of the world's premier venues, he shall be remembered for his 1,480 appearances at the Vienna State Opera (VSO). Raised in the Austrian capital, he studied piano at the Vienna Music Academy, then switched his major to voice and made his 1950 Vienna professional debut in a presentation of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. His 1951 operatic bow came at the Vienna Volksoper as The Prince in Sergei Prokofiev's "The Love for Three Oranges", then in 1952 he joined the company of the VSO. Over the years he was known for several Mozartean roles, among them Ferrando of "Cosi fan tutte", both Idamante and the title character in "Idomeneo", Don Ottavio from "Don Giovanni", Tamino in "The Magic Flute", and Belmonte of "The Abduction From the Seraglio". Kmentt's other characters included Rodolfo in Puccini's "La Boheme", the title lead of Jacques Offenbach's "The Tales of Hoffmann", des Grieux in Puccini's "Manon Lescaut", Bacchus from Richard Strauss' "Ariadne auf Naxos", Jaquino from Beethoven's "Fidelio", and Jenik in Bedrich Smetana's "The Bartered Bride", while in 1960 he was Gabriel for the world premiere of Frank Martin's "La Mystere de la Nativite". Though based at the VSO throughout his time before the public, he bowed at Wagner's Bayreuth Festspielhaus in 1968 as Walther from "Die Meistersinger", and also earned praise at Salzburg, La Scala Milano, Rome, Paris, and Brussels, as well as for his oratorio work and for his many operetta appearances at the Vienna Volksoper. Designated Kammersanger (KS), he taught at his alma mater and remained active onstage, though with time he assumed such character roles as the Innkeeper from Richard Strauss' "Der Rosenkavalier", the Emperor Altoum of Puccini's "Turandot", and Mr. Triquet in Tchaikovsky's "Eugene Onegin". Kmentt finally made his Metropolitan debut on April 14, 2001 as the Major Domo of "Ariadne auf Naxos" and was to perform there a total of eight times, all in the same role; he lived out his days in Vienna and died of the effects of advanced age. At his demise he could be heard on a few studio recordings and on a number of live pirates.