New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-11
By Katharine Wright

-. Merry Widow" at the Knicker-
,.sxr Theater. And thereby hangs a
{. when the revival was announced
=. hsfore Mr.. Savage sailed for Eu
has. May there was q correspond
- announcement that American sing
= only would be assigned to the prin-
.r.l roles in the cast.
Ia strobe up the gangplank the
80 York manager threw over his
...,,s.r these words of promise and
...surasenent TO young musical Amer
ss.
q an not locking for voices in Eu-
-, The best singers are in our own
.autry. and you can find them among
-, own young people. Every time /
80. been in Paris, where thousands of
.,.sl students from all parts of the
.,ss are studying, I have noted the
.,t.ral superiority OF the American
uee.'
Evidently Mr.. Savage's patriotism
r.s doomed TO disappointment, for
,s,r months Of patient listening to the
usald-bs Sonias and Danilos. Nat2lies
md de- Jolidons Of 100 per cent Amer
;.sn brand who stormsd the Savage
asees, glowing with pride and enthu-
sssn, the general stage director, John
g.gse, in charge OF casting the piece.
! emerged YEARLY, leading by the hand
1 tie single American who had stood the
,sss Miss Dorothy Francis, of Boston,
\ lie Natalie of the present production.
/ Possibly Mr.. Mckee found the voices,
possibly the chorus is American-made,
b. What he did not find was the com
/ slnstion OF voice and histrionic ability
required for the chief roles. Rare In
deed are the American singers who
combine vocal skill with dramatic
ssgoir faire.
\ Ia despair Mr.. Savage turned to
! Europe, the home of comic opera as Of
spera on a grander scale, and behold
| Russian soprano and Dutch and an
English tenor answered his call.
Nine. Lydia Lipkowska, of the I'm
perial Opera, Petrograd, the latest
Widow, is an old friend. Her first OPP
cratic adventures in America were with
Henry Russell's Boston Opera Com
pany. At the Boston Opera House in
its days Of pristine glory she sang
Mimi in "La Bcheme," Gilda in "Rigo-
letto,' Camille In LA Traviata" and
Lakme. We remember her Mimi and
Lakme with special pleasure, for this
engaging little Russian has tempera-
nent as we'll as voice. In the Verdi
operas, as in the others, her slender
ness and delicate beauty were valuable
assets in heightening the realism of
her portrayals, for too many coloratura
sopranos called upon to irnpersonate
eVesick maidens and victims of tuber-
talosIs are at pains to employ su
Vsemest art to combat q portliness o:
person fatal to illusion.
. After the financial shipwreck of tn,
Boston Opera Company Nine. Lipkow
isa's fortunes varied. For time sh.
suffered illness. Returning to he,
F:Ountry, where in imperial days sht
vas beloved Snegourotchka, her frai
person was not equal to weatherine
Soishevik artistic ideals. She re
eFned to America to sing in a smalle,
'psra company. Then came one or two
fscitals. But the little singer was not
Wholly at home in the severe atnos-
9asre OF the concert hall. Still later
Ne tried folksong recitals in costume
sa'eh were more successful. And now
although sh. has for the momen.
nsnsd her back upon grand opera, she
q" found in the Widow e perfect me-
uan for her gifts as singer and &C
ctss.
ass Performance n no way sugge sits
70 nays Of other Widows-Lens Abar-
''neil and Ethel Jackson, for ex-
supls. But her reincarnation Of the
a'v and fresh merry lady is stamped
WIN An elegance and charm all her
'"a Her singing is far above the av-
"se variety to be met with in comic
v''s' and Nine. Lydia has mastered
40 English language to such y praise
'O7hy extent that there can be moth
~ pus commendation for her diction
Inc dancing OF Reginald Pasch, Of
~ rembrandt Theater, Amsterdam, Is
s'' q the Donald Brian brand, but he
aa' a fine voice. which he uses ef7ec-
"e'y' and dramatic intelligence to
Vasn' Frank Webster and Georges
ss'anne, the English and French
',a0efs OF the company, are well east
"ne polidon and Cascade.
A'ss Francis, Of Boston, the lone
s "'s in this international quintet
s'us ner own as the dutiful Ambassa-
- iady. She Is an unusually strik-
'oang woman, with talent, and .
WV II not remarkable, voice. Unfort-
s' IN spite of one or two seasons
,. A TIE Chicago Opera Company and
a s'ai others spent in the garlic-scent-
! 0spnere Of smaller companies,
Gin a'h New England frigidity still
mas ~ 70 ner acting. A little more ami
Inc. 'n' Miss Francis, if you please.
,on,. little romantic abandon. A
embassy attachs Is not neces-