POLISH SOPRANO IS POPULAR ‘CARMEN’

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31121, 26 July 1966, Page 2

POLISH SOPRANO IS POPULAR ‘CARMEN’

“Russians always want ‘Garmen’ for an encore—but why ‘Carmen’ when I have just given them Schubert?” the Polish soprano Miss Stephania Woytowicz, wondered in Christchurch yesterday.

After 50 hours without sleep on her journey from Hong Kong to New Zealand, Miss Woytowicz was vivacious and alert With her enormous vitality, her black eyes and her beautiful appearance she must seem an obvious choice for the role of Carmen.

Bach and Beethoven are among her large classical repertoire. “You will find in my repertoire, some songs which are not popular. Perhaps they are too difficult for the public," she said. Her singing is always in the

Britten. He is more avant garde. Ml the technical advances of modem music will be found in his compositions. It is all written in ‘stereo’— there are three boys’ choirs, all in different places, and the conductor must conduct almost automatically. "I will have to sing Bach, Verdi and Penderecki at separate concerts in the space of 10 days,” she said. Before a performance she is always nervous and believes that every true artist has to be tense. Three hours before her concert she is very nervous, but if she knows she is in good voice and she has a good accompanist she can relax a little.

“But I am not an opera singer, I am a concert singer” she said. She sings only those songs which she likes very much. Strauss,

Whenever possible she likes to go to the mountains, to swim and play bridge. “I can play bridge all night” she confessed.

She will give her first New Zealand concert in Christchurch this evening.

original language. “Translation is a difficult art, especially in song. Debussy is impossible in German.” Miss Woytowicz trained at the Cracow Musdc Academy in Poland, where she won first prize in a Bach competition. She was later awarded first prize at an international singing competition at the Prague spring festival. This led to tours to Europe, Russia, China, and the United States. At present she is attached to a Polish artistic agency, which works through agents in other countries. Next year Miss Woytowicz will perform the St Lucas Passion by the contemporary composer, Christopher Penderecki, for the 8.8. C. Two other Polish soloists and a Polish conductor have also been invited to take part. “Penderecki is not like