  We study the pion-induced inclusive $\Lambda(1520)$ hyperon production from
nuclei near threshold within a nuclear spectral function approach accounting
for incoherent primary $\pi^-$ meson--proton ${\pi^-}p \to K^0\Lambda(1520)$
production processes. We calculate the absolute differential and total cross
sections for the production of $\Lambda(1520)$ hyperons off carbon and tungsten
nuclei at laboratory angles of 0$^{\circ}$--10$^{\circ}$,
10$^{\circ}$--45$^{\circ}$ and 45$^{\circ}$--85$^{\circ}$ by $\pi^-$ mesons
with momentum of 1.7 GeV/c as well as their relative (transparency ratio)
differential and integral yields from these nuclei within four scenarios for
their total in-medium width. We demonstrate that these absolute observables,
contrary to the relative ones, reveal some sensitivity to the $\Lambda(1520)$
in-medium width. Therefore, their measurement in a dedicated experiment at the
GSI pion beam facility will allow to shed light on this width.
