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Jan Kiepura Anne Brown THE INSTITUTE AT THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC JAN KIEPURA and ANNE BROWN Opera House W edne~day Evening, February 11, 1942 ' r I 1 - .> • ( ") ·' -" C ..) -~' THE BROOKLYN INSTITUTE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES COMPRISING THB BROOKLYN MUSBUM, THB BROOKLYN CHILDREN S MUSEUM, THB BROOKLYN BOTANIC GARDBN, AND THB INSTITUTE AT THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC EDWARD C. BLuM, Chairman of the Board )AMES G. McDoNALD, President PERMANBNT MEMBERSHIP, $2500 LIFB MBMBBRSHIP1 $500 CONTRIBUTING MBMBBRSHIP1 $100 PBR YEAR l SUSTAINING MEMBERSHIP, $25 PBR YEAR THE INSTITUTE AT THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC 30 LAFAYBTTB AVBNUB-BROOKLYN-STBRLING 3-6700 ADRIAN VAN SINDBRBN, Chairman, yovernir1g Committee JuLIUS BLOOM, A~~ocinte Director ANNUAL MBMBERSHIP, $10. MBMBBRSHIP PRIVILBGES INCLUDB FREB ADMISSION TO MORB THAN T\VO HUNDRED BVENTS: LECTURES, RECITALS, PRO· GRAMS FOR YOUNG PBOPLB, MOTION PICTURES, I'IBLD TRIPS, ETC. MBMBBRSHIP MAY BB TAKBN OUT ANY TIMB DURING THB YBAR . THE BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC 30 LAFAYBTTB AVBNUB-BROOKLYN-STBRLING 3-6700 WILLIAM T. HuNTER, Chairman, Building Committee HsRBBRT T. S\VIN, 711nnngin!l Superintende11t THB OPBRA HOUSB, MUSIC HALL, AND BALLROOM OF THB ACADBMY OF MUSIC ARB AVAILABLB FOR CONCBRTS1 PLAYS, LBCTURBS, DANCBS, AND OTHBR BVBNTS. INQUIRE: MANAGING SUPBRINTBNOBNT. PUDLICATION AND ADVERTISING OfFICES CONCERT PROGRAM MAGAZINES SIGMUND GoTTLOBBR, Publisher 30 Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn, STerling 3-6700 258 Fifth Ave., Manhattan, CAledonia 5-6690 WALTBR H. MoRIN, Productio11 :Manager FREDA Roves, .Advertisi11g Director PUBLISii ERS OF STADIUM CONCERTS REVIEW BFRKSIIIRE SYMPHONIC fESTIVAL PROGRAM ESSEX COUNTY SYMPHONY SOCIETY MAGAZINE WESTCHESTER COUNTY MUSIC CENTER CONCERT NEWS THE PROGRAM AND MAGAZINE OF BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC 3 ''Puppy Love," by F. J. Jordan 4 FROM PAGANINI TO ERNEST BLOCH T ilL BROOKLY\J SY,\ll'llONY COA\J.::S ULI ORL the public in its fourth concert of the season on Wednesday evening, February 18. Gerald Warburg will again conduct. The earlier per formances have already proved the unqualified success of this latest of symphony orchestras. Following its custom to present "somethino old Gerald t> ' something new," the Orchestra includes on its Warburg program Paganini's Concerto for Violin in L) major and Ernest Bloch's "America," an epic rhapsody in three parts. Mr. Warburg, a 'cellist of note and founder of the Stradivarius Quartet, has previously con­ ducted the NY A Symphony and other organiza­ tions in the East. Favored by close friendship tinued them in the conservatories of Brussels, with I.:rnest Bloch, he may well be counted upon l:rankfort-on-Main, and Munich. It was at to offer an intimate interpretation of the thought Paris, where he had moved, that he composed of that uncompromising prophet of the brother­ his earlier works, including the celebrated hood of man. Bloch's "America" was awarded "Three Jewish Poems.'' Though a firm believer first prize in a contest held by 7111fsrctrl lr11enca in racial consciousness, it is a consciousness in 1928 and was subsequently performed that dedicated to the liberating genius of the crea season by the New York Philhannonic-Sym­ tive impulse, and not to the constricting hatreds phony and other major orchestras throughout of nationalism at its worst. Bloch's own genius the country. This work advances Bloch's love stems directly and instinctively from his Jew ish for the American past and his unwavering faith origins; and all his work is permeated with the in its future. As he himself puts it, " ... it is ancient idiom of the hymns. dedicated to the memory of Abraham Lincoln The guest artist of the evening is young Rug and Walt Whitman whose vision upheld its in­ giero Ricci, whose engaging personality ami spiration." brilliant performance in the third recital of the The noted composer was born in Switzerbnd Institute's Major Concert Series, on December in 1880, son of a watch merchant. Even as a 3, were warmly applauded. In 1928, when he small boy he knew that he wanted to write mu­ was a little boy of eight, Samuel Chotzinoff sic. With a seriousness which has always hailed him as an incomparable proclig} of as marked him, he consecrated himself to his art tounding technical gifts. Today, the "little in a ceremony of religious solemnity. I le be­ boy," fortified by }Cars of study under the sym­ gan his studies under Jacques Oalcroze and con pathetic tutelage of Louis Persinger, has grown into the mature artist whose gift is being made known again to the American public. As ~olo ist with the Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra, Ricci plays the Paganin1 Concerto, a te-.t al most without equal in its demands of skill 1nd \ ersatility upon instrument and performer alike When he concluded this Concerto in a recent RuggicJ() concert at Toronto, Ricci veritably stopped the Ricci broadcast. The audience continued to cheer the technical finesse and pure simplicity of his pia) ing. Critics acclaimed him as "a youth who seemed to have been horn to recreate Paganinr,'' while they charactenzed his artistry as "an in­ spired miracle of tone." 5 ''BESS'' TO SING WITH KIEPURA Jan Kicpura Anne Brown I N PLACL oF TIIJ: RFCITAL BY Tno SciiiPA AND in what she considered the proper lofty manner Rose Pauly, scheduled for Wednesday Thus she was not altogether a novice '"hen, at evening, February 11 , the Institute announces the age of five, she made an improvised debut the joint appearance of Jan Kiepura, the Polish at fort Meade. " Bess" brought her to the tenor, and Anne Brown, young American so­ concert stage and members of the Institute will prano, who is best known as the vivid Bess in recall her brief but delightful performance at Gershwin's folk opera " Porgy and Bess." The the special progran, which marked the opening opera was first produced in 1935 and was later of the current season Shortly afterwards, Leo­ performed with equal success all over the United pold Stokowski invited her to sing in Beethoven's States and Europe. It has recently been revived inth Symphony which he conducted with the in New York, opening on January 22 with Anne BC Orchestra. Brown in her original role. The happy combi­ Mr. Kiepura' s romantic personality and dra­ nation of talents of Mr. Kiepura and Miss Brown matic tenor voice have long been known to promises to be of unusual interest in their Insti­ American audiences through the cinema as well tute recital, seventh in the Major Concert Series. as in the concert hall and opera. He forsook a Miss Brown is endowed with an exciting voice lucrative law practice in his native Poland to of exceptional power and depth. Critics hailed pursue a musical career. Handsome, compel­ her immediately with all the enthusiasm they ling, with a marked histrionic bent, he was a manifest for those other gifted members of her success in grand opera from the first. He made race, Marian Anderson and Paul Robeson. his New York debut at the Metropolitan in "La When she applied for the part of Bess, fresh Boheme," in 1938, after a triumphal career in from the Institute of Musical Art, Gershwin Europe. His most popular moving picture role selected her from a crowd of talented aspirants. was that of the hero of "My Heart Is Calling." I le was so intrigued by her beauty, as well as In this he co-starred with Martha Eggerth, the by her dramatic and musical ability, that he at charming Viennese singer, whom he later mar­ once expanded the role for her. I Ier success ried. When the war broke out Mr. Kiepura notwithstanding, Miss Brown has worked tire­ immediately enlisted in the Polish Army. He lessly to prepare for the leading roles of heroic reluctantly accepted the government's decision opera, without neglecting, however, the well­ to demobilize him and did so only to fulfill his loved lieder and the popular folk songs. American engagements for the benefit of his She was born in Baltimore, where her father ravaged country " Apparently," he said, "the was a doctor and her mother an amateur singer. government thought my singing would be more Fired by her mother's tales of grand opera, Miss effective than my shooting." And the govern­ Brown made up her own, spending hours before ment's actton was justifled by Mr. Kiepura's the cheval glass in idyllic posturings and singing successful tour. 6 FAIRY OPERA FOR YOUNG PEOPLE E N<..~ LUI H 1 1 IU.\Il'l JWIMJ, '' ,,~ i\1 111 ,\Jn .\N children 111 the lorc~t s111lc there 1s too Lttle emment composer and critic when his sister food for all. llungry and forlorn the children asked him to write the incidental music to a wander until tl.ey s~1dtlenly espy a little house Christmas play for her children Delving into g1ade of gingerbread I he odors that eman.:ue th:lt storehouse of folk tales, the Crimms' Kill(ler are ravishing anti, succumbmg to the blandish 1111cl ] liiii.SIIItll d.1e11 , l·rau \'V'ette deuded on the ments of the witch hostess, they enter Once story of I lanse! and Gretel. Neither the affable they are inside, the male,olent creature decoys uncle nor the fond mother realized they were I lanse! into a cage, there to fatten him for her on the verge of fame. But once the play was own sinister feast But Gretel di sco' ers th.11 presented 1 lumperdinck quickly sensed its oper­ the gingerbread cookies are little boys and girls atic possibilities. With his sister as librettist, he under a spell l~esisting all the witch's wiles to expanded the sketch into the three acts of the lure her into the O\ en, she turns the tables on fairy opera which has since delighted children her.
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