TRAGEDY OF A FALLEN STAR

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12507, 24 July 1926, Page 14

TRAGEDY OF A FALLEN STAR

The public often hear of the meteoric rise of opera stars. One minute they are down-and-out sleepers on the Embankment; the next they arc taking Europe by storm. This is the other side of the story—the tale of the decline of a once famous opera singer, a man once greater than Chaliapin. To-day he is running a modest little laundry in a cheap dwelling in New York. Thirty years ago, Grigori Boborinski wes one of the leading tenors in Russia and Europe—a handsome young man with a glossy black moustache, wary hair and bright eyes. To-day he is middleaged man with thinning hair, a washer of shirts. But his worn face lights up a£ he talks of the past. What a picture! Many years ago Boborinski and Chaliapin singing together. Boborinski singing all over Europe and Asia. His name on posters. Crowds waiting for him dt the opera house. Ciowds demanding their money back when Boborinski was suddenly indisposed. Appiatu-e and bravos ringing to the rafters as Boborinski died a lyrical death, and then got up to take curtain calls. “The Governor of Archangel—after the performance, he would say: ‘You must come home with me, come to supper/ He would drive me off/' says Boborinski, Then earn© the war. As an artist, Boborinski was privileged. He and his fellow-linger* were not persecuted or put in prison. The Russian Government took lus money, but he and the opera company wore free to go where they pleased to sing. But who could pay 600 roubles a performance in those distraught times? Who :ould pay anything? The troupe migrated to Boland; gave mucerts there. But in Poland, too, here was poverty, and unrest, and war. There was nothin™ in Russia to go back n. Bororinski and his family went to Argentina “There was not much in Argentina/’ iay« the fallen opera idol, “so we came o the United States two and a half rears ago. I had a proposition/’ The proposition was illusory. Bobornski, his wife, and his two sons came tnd saw, and did not 'conquer. Not or him a triumphant ri«e to stardom, sol for him the applause and the golden loliars. Only the washing of shirts. A different sort of opera story. A lip of fate ar.d the great Boborinski is i\ unknow n man in a si range, callous ity living in a dark little apartment, landing out bounds of shirts and beets in a little laundry. CHALIAPIN j Chaliapin, the great singer, has arived in Melbourne with his with and mu- daughters. It is interesting to note hat the price being charged for reservd seats for his concerts is 12s 6d each, j Wales is following the example of B lg- ' and and the Continent, and is having ■ musical renaissance. A society of Vidsh musicians has been organised by alive composers, who base their work n Welsh folk music and folk dance. >r. David l)c Lloyd, of Aberystwyth, has omposed the first large work produced mler the influence of the new move-. u*nt. 11 is opera, “Gwcnßiaii/* has had ’ iveral performances. The modern group lcludo.-; Leigh llenry, T. Hopkins Evans, >. Tawo Jones. Frederick Humphries, loydn Morris, (Lborne Roberts and .1. »u?n Jones, Miss Esther Fisher, the Wellington ianist, has quit© established herself in . ie favour of music-lovers in London. • tie gave a recital recently at {hr- Wigon- Hall, and gained some first-rate, dice*.