Evening star., 1932-12-11

and suffering. The pressure OF
adversely serves to increase its
strength and it thriveS and grows
more powerful under circum-
stances that would completely de-
Stroy an ordinary mortal. It
seems to need resistance in order
to push through to the light. One
can understand that for painters
or writers this struggle for exist
ence might not be harmful Fer
musicians, and especially singers,
it is more telling and only those
predeStined by nature to be art
lists can survive.
Such one is Feodor Chaliapin,
the great Russian basso. Through
direst poverty, without more than
the mere rudiments of education,
he guided himself by his sure ar
tiStic sense and so great was his
genius that he has caused a revo-
luton in the operate world
which, until his day, knew few
singing-actors of any power. An
interpreter of dramatic types, he
has made life his school and ex-
tracted from it all material in
order to reproduce it in art.
In his childhood and boyhood
years he was a true vagabond,
hungry, ragged, roaming from
place to place, singing whenever
possible and always obServant. OF
a friendly nature, he came close
to people and stored away his i'm
preSSionS Of their gestures and
manner of speaking. His clever
mind marveled at things he saw
and did not comprehend and he
figured them out in original ways
that later gave color to many a
theatrical character. When bit
by bit he began to attract public
attention, he longed for knowl-
edge and chance to be sincere.
Although diSliking all work his
parents tried to tie him to, he
more than doubled his zeal when
working at anything that had to
do with the theater. When he had
role to study, he learned the
entire opera, chorus and all, so
that he knew not only what he
wanted himself, but what he
wanted of others. When he por-
trayed a character he minutely
studied the life and customs of
the period and the authentic ex-
ternals that belonged to such a
type. For many years he had
sung Mephistopheles much dis
satisfied with the theatrical drap-
ingS that were customary. He
saw the demon Semi-nude with
huge muscles of Superhuman
strength and diabolical' facial
contortions. 1t was long before
he could convince the directors
Of the theater that it should be
so. Even Toscanini, musical di-
rector of La Scala at the time
Chaliapin sang there, was most
dubious and unwillingly gave his
consent, but when he saw the
weird parsonage with biceps ac-
centuated by makeup, and each
gesture in keeping with this new
character, he realized it was the
conception of a genius.
Chaliapin's portrayal of Ivan
the Terrible in the Maid of
PSkov," and Boris Goudonof," are
well known, but few know the in
tenSive study and research that
made these characters so as
founding. When he became in
terested in "Ivan," he visited pic
ture galleries in order to study the
portraits of the terrible Gar and
stood many times before his
statue in a public square. Still he
was not satisfied, and learning
that a private individual living at
some distance had another un-
known portrait, he made the trip
to see it and finally succeeded in
forming his idea of the part which
is one of his most famous.
In Boris Goudonof" it was the
same thing. His reading of IA
nous works written about "The
Pretender" was not sufficient help
and he asked to be introduced to
a celebrated professor of history
at the University of Moscow. He
spent long hours with the old
man, listening to all the stories
he could tell that would vivify
the character in his mind. The
same genius inspires his song in
terpretations. Although the years
have told on him somewhat, he
still remains unequaled for maj
esty of voice and power of de-
lineation.
"A MOTHER unusual Russian will
n make his appearance this
week in the person Of Essay Do
browen, who will conduct the
New York Philharmonic in its
first concert here on Tuesday. In
a recent New York hearing the
conservative critics of that city
sat up and took notice Of the
something new that he puts into
his interpretations. He is a vir-
tuoso of the baton that not only
thrills with his temperamental
reading OF TschaikoWSky, but en-
ters into the emotional depth Of
Beethoven with unique under
standing. He has been attracting
attention with the work he has
done with the San Francisco Or
chestra and his appearances i'll
the East have added to his fame.
Tuesdays concert will bring him
here with an organization that is
used to the unusual in conductors
SO that his name in company with
these famous ones is proof of his
ability.
X X X
THE musical season so far has
had no woman instrumentalist
and the coming Of Guiomar
NovaeS, the Brazilian pianist, this
week in Mrs. ToWnSend'S series is
eagerly awaited. Since the Gays
of Teresa Carreno no woman
pianist has attracted the atten-
ton of the entire world as has
Novaes. Although coming, like
Inr from q pnJ1Y1 1-v