Metropolitan Opera Archives

Alexander Kipnis, Russian-born basso of the Metropolitan who became an American citizen a good many years ago, brought his authority and knowledge of the tradition to his first appearance here in the title role of Mussorgsky's "Boris Godunoff" at the Opera House yesterday afternoon. Mr. Kipnis was a regal Boris in song and action when he faced the world and he illuminated the psychology of the troubled Czar in the later, revealing pages of the score.

Like his great Russian predecessor, Feodor Chaliapin, Mr. Kipnis sang Boris in the original language, while the rest of the Metropolitan ensemble sang Italian. To those who understood neither language it was not a ludicrous proceeding, though it was certainly a convincing argument for opera in English, if translations must be employed. However, Mr. Kipnis was wise to sing in Russian. That is the language to which Mussorgsky wrote his music and the part achieves its full stature, power and impact in Russian. Mr. Kipnis's portrayal was one of the best in his gallery of fine characterizations.

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