ALEXANDER KIPNIS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23542, 4 July 1938, Page 4

ALEXANDER KIPNIS

Alexander Kipnis, who is not only regarded as one of the greatest contemporary operatic bassos but also one of the foremost living masters of the Lied, will give his first recital in Dunedin at the Town Hall Concert Chamber this evening. Local patrons are being afforded this opportunity of hearing one of the most distinguished artists of this generation through the National Broadcasting Service. The critic of the New York Post writes: “ I heard Mr Kipnis in Salzburg last summer, where his Sarastro in ‘ The Magic Flute ’ and hrs Rocco in ‘ Fidelio ’ were two of the highlights of the Festspielhaus, but I was hardly prepared to find him a Lieder singer of the first rank. I \/as inded astonished to hear his rich deep Russian basso put to such delicate uses in the tender ‘ Gute Nacht ’ and the tremulous ‘ Der Jungling an det Quelle.’ While in ‘Der Wanderer’ and ‘ Aufenthalt ’ the artist conveyed the Byronic passion of the lyrics without violence to the musical limitations of the Lied.” On this tour of the Dominion Alexander Kipnis will be associated with Noel Newson, the young New Zealand accompanist and solo pianist.