MADAME LYDIA LIPKOVSKA.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIII, Issue 285, 17 November 1923, Page 3

MADAME LYDIA LIPKOVSKA.

COMING TO HAWKE’S BAY ! SHORTLY. Mr. E. J Gravestock announces*that ’ he hag secured for a tour of the Dominion Madame Lydia Lipkovska. the 1 famous Russian priipa donna, who has recently achieved a remarkable success in Australia. Madame is probably one of the widest known operatic artists of the day, as she was • pnma donna at the Covent Garden i Opera House before the war, when grand opera was at its zenith; prima I donna at the Metropolitan Opera New I York; Grand Opera. Paris; and La Scalan, Milan; and many other opera; houses of Europe and America. The j eminent soprano created quite a re-; markable sensation by an innovation ! on the concert platform, of wearing 1 beautiful costumes peculiar to the! period of the song which she sings. The ’ “Sydney Morning Herald,” describing One of her concerts, writes: “The Rus-, sian soprano possesses a world-voice of the greatest purity and charm, also her ; costume entertainments are of an enchantingly novel character. The scarlet and pink blossoms bestowed upon the singer at the end of the first group of operatic airs formed under a dazzling light a heap of burnished and velvety colours in the centre of the stage before the dark velvety curtains. Soon the diva stood beside them in medieval Russian costume for the folk song of her own country. The fair-haired beauty, with her large brown eyes, resembled the figure of an angel that had stepped out of an altar-piece in a Continental church. Thus garbed, ablaze with her ivonderful voice in the poignantly sorrowful theme of Glinka’s ‘Sad Am I,’ Tschaikowsky’s ‘The Golden Fields.’ Dloussky’g ‘Sing Me a Song,’ and Varlamoff’s ballad of the gondolier who would not now row the wealthy coquette to the Rialto for less than a kiss One of the sensational events of the evening was Mme. Lipkovska’s appearance as Rosina for the cavatina ‘Una Voce’ (superbly presented) in an elaborate Spanish costume. The mantilla of black lace, which floated from the head-dress to the ground, was embroidered with large golden blossoms of Granada, and the gown was adorned with innumerable flowers of vivid colours each separately fastened on, Murmurs of admiration greeted the singer, who sang various Spanish compositions with the poses and gestures of Andalusia and Castile, so that the programme was considerably prolonged.” Mr. Gravestock announces that Hastings and Napier will be visit- i ed immediately after the Wellington ! season, which should conclude about' November 25.