New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-07
Lipkowsl<a on
Girls w llo'dC Go
On the Stage
Prima Donna of ssThe Merr,
Widow" Finds Them the
Same Here as i'm Russ;a

Joy " weep, Dut thew
leave home just the same. With oplv
enough money to buy railroad s;,k..
they start off for Broadway. or ~
Petrograd- Their hearts are lish,s.
than their purses Or +h.,.
poor little stomachs. Yes, it's Tho s...
in Little Russia as in Big United State
Nine. Lydia Lipkowska, the vans.
Russian opera star, whom Henry a
Savage has chosen to play the NM.
coveted role Of the Merry Widow =.
his new production, which comes !,
the Knickerbocker Theater on r.s..
Day, garnished by an internationa, go.
cast, an operate ensemble. scepss h.
Joseph Urban, costumes by Peggy Eov.
and staged by George Marion-all tb.t,i
Nine Lydia Lipkowska says it,s tha
same, and she knows. This celebrate
young woman, whose own life stosv !.
more exciting far than fiction wr;.sr
would feel justified to invent bs...
her career, she related yesterday morn.
ing at her first merry Widow 70.
hearsal, "just the same as two-tbirds
of these little girls you see here stand
ing at our stage door, WAITING N
pounce on Mr.. Savage and beg for
chance
Put the Accent
Firmly on the "Kovo
"See how young some of them are,s
marveled Lipkowska, whose name shs
says, should be no trouble at all for
Americans to pronounce-Lip-kov-sks
accent on the kov. "Well, l was onlv
fourteen myself" she related. 81 b.a
voice. could dance. wanted to acs
We lived quietly in Little Russia. NV
father was a Puritan-such a roos
man, but so hardl You understand,
Every time I spoke of my ambition he
said no--noi My mother cried too
but she helped me. She saved The
money for my ticket to Petrograd. and
helped me- pack my little valise.
Il had never before been in Bio
city" recalled Lipkowska. 81 was
thrilled, but frightened-ooh / went
straight to the big Conservatism. In F..
pig, brave voice 1 said: 4 am little
Lipkowska, and have come here to sine
and take lessons for opera
"A huge man who looked like bear
said, Well, sing, and let me hear He
llked my voice. But where is your
money for tuition? Il have no money
Then you must GO But where can
go? l have left my fathers house.
can't beg in the streets. came here TO
study and become a great singer.
Surely some rich lady or gentleman
Will help me, as they did the great
musicians whose songs love-
Then what do you think happened"
trilled Lipkowska. "a great teacher,
woman, was passing along the corridor
and heard my talk. She was on her
way to give the Czarina music lesson.
Come with me- said she. And in one
hour L sang for the Czarina herself at
the great palace. She became nv pa
troness, and for two years I studied
through her help. worked all day
all night, studying to sing, dance and
act.
A Debut at Sixteen
Before the Romanoffs
"At sixteen I sang Gilda I'M 'Rigo-
ietto' at the Imperial Opera House,
Petrograd," confded Lipkowska Of che
second chapter of her career. "The
Gar and Czarina sat In the imperial
box. The Czarina had not even spoken
OF her proteg6 to her husband. In in
PERMISSION he asked. who is this child"
The Czarina smiled. Afterward was
presented. 1t was a great honor. So
soon success had comet
But an" added the prirns donna
eloquently, II had worked hard for sue
cess!"
The very next year Director Russell
OF the Boston Opera Company brought
the budding soprano to America. Her
beauty and personality dazzled the Hub,
She became the pet of Boston society.
Darling Boston," calculated Lipkow-
ska. THAT city love, for there first
learned to speak English. A better
place to learn than New York, would
you not say?" She smiled archly.
New York is my home" she ex-
planned. That's is why may criticize
1t, like one may ones own family. Oh,
l adore this ethyl Always l have come
back to 1t, from engagements Of opera
in Paris, Monte Carlo, Milan, Rome,
Vienna, London--yes, have sung at
every one of those cities since first I
came to America. Here I have sung at
Metropolitan-such happy days, sing
ing with the great Caruso, and with
Bonci, Ruffo, Gigli. Also l loved Chi
cago Opera.
This season." explained Lipkowsks,
III should have gone back to Chicago
Opera to create the rdie of The Snow
Maiden which first 1 created in Rus
sia. But Merry Widow so appealed to
mel l love comedy. I love TO sing and
dance and act in happy parts, to make
people glad they came to see and hear.
Americans are happy people naturally.
They hate dull, heavy opera, and SO
do I. We are young-let us laugh
little.
when I play the Merry Widow,