New-York tribune., 1921-11-06
Art the Only Politics of
Feodor lvanitch Chaliapine
Famous Russan Bass to Sing Here Again After
Fourteen Years Absence; Disclaims
Political Interests

opera house. Of Petrosrad ana Mos-
cow are free To the public. There are
also free performances for the army,
but all who are known to possess sufi-
cient means TO pay must pay"
At this point Russian unit of tbs
Rcd Cross, headed by Msx RabinofF
was announced, and Chaiiapine disap-
peared nomentarily. In his absence
his valet supplied bits of information
about the high cost of living in Rus
sia. For example, 1,o0o-ruble note
is the smallest paper money printed
A suit Of clothes costs LOCO, 600 rubles:
a pair of shoes, 25o,0o rubles; scarf.
100000 rubles; pound of beef, 7,o0o
ruhles.
J But if ore is so fortunate as e.
possess gold. five gold rubies will pur-
chase the article which ,~ould- other
wise be sold at 100000 rubles in paper
money When times were hardes.
artists received their fees in food ana
fuel.
Returning, Cnalispine remarked upon
the growth Of Kew York since his
former visit. He is at home here. Dis
liking the formality of large hostelries
he IS fond Of gathering mis- friendS
about him IN less conspicuous haunts
One of these, q CERTAIN restaurant in
Seventh Avenue, he discovered on his
former visit. Here he dined night afte1
night At the time, the restaurant wss
comparatively small. Chaliapine's fire.
quent visits attracted ether patrons
/ Custom grew, and the grateful prt
pnetor rented much larger place
across the street, where in the foyer
~hans two portraits of the singer whose
patronage made his fortune. one o.
them by the celebrated Russian
painter Boris Anisfeld.
English Critics Praise
Chaliapine's Art in Concert
Chaliapinc's recent concerts IN
London were praised by the English
press. Among others who wrote
about his singing, Ernest Newman
commented as follows in The Man
chester Guardian:
even those of as who have a slieh-
knowledge OF the Russian Language
were very slad to FORGET it and give
ourselves up to the sheer JOY o.
', CEaiapiae's singing. In .he old day
what made him SO remarkable was not
Only the glory o. his voice, but his
extraordinary command OF it. We
have had other basses with voice. IS
huge as his, bat none with such power
of shading. Last night this art OF his
was as wonderful as ever; it really
seemed as ii we had heard no real
singing since he left US in 1914.
His art. like that OF all the Creates
artists, seems so simple because it j.
SO complex. Many threads have gone
to the Wearing OF that wonderfu
texture. Every phrase, every part 0
7 every phrase, Is modcled upon the
words. The mystery is how. with this
close fidelity to verbal liberalism, he
contrives to make his voice sing wifi
the freedom OF line and the infinite
variety of shading Of great inst ~
mental player. lie plays upon it like
an instrument: IN It's noble pathos :.
. suggests cello
! ihe singe2's extraordinarily pic
tulesGue DEVIL in Boito's "Mcistofels
is well remembered here by opers
goers Of 1907, when he also appeared in
Faust" and in I'll Barbiere." bu. he
has not been heard here before in cor
cert. II the present negotiations be
tween his managers and the Metro
politan Opera House are successful il
Is TO be hoped that New York VIII have
an opportunity OF hearing him IN
Boris Godunoff," in which he appear
both as Moussorgsky's tragic Gar anc
the grotesque, bibulous monk. III
Boris is said TO be one Of the mosr
impressive charac1erizations Of the
lyric stage.
Speaking OF recent experiences. NJ
said: Whether appear in con
cert or opers is one and the same t.
me. Perhaps concert s little more
strenuous than an operate perform
ance. That is because in an opera /
may have four important sras to sing,
while IN concert , must be respon-
sihle for about fifteen songs. Then.
too, prefer to sing only songs on ny
concert programs. 1t is unintelligcnt
fer singer to dfaw upon bis operate
repertoire for a concert. when the
literature 81 tg is so rich and Yaried.
Bot whoth in concert or opers,
that sing jws Is NY sole preoecupa-
tiois" he conci' led with a smiling "Au
revqr"
American Orchestral Society
Announces Training Glasses