Leading Soviet Tenor

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 303, 23 December 1939, Page 10

Leading Soviet Tenor

Moscow’s “matinee’* idol, Ivan Semenovich Kozlovsky, leading tenor of the Bolshoi Theatre opera, has beeu awarded the highest Government decoration, the Order of Lenin, for his distinguished services to the theatre and to music. Kozlovsky has not been shown auv mark of favour in oflieial quarters for a number of years, although his popularity with the public has never suffered any decline. He lias passed through a period of official disfavour which might easily have destroyed the reputation and broken the resistance of a less stout and talented artist, because he stood up in 1932 for his right to receive a motorcar which had been promised him. At that time there were even fewer privately-owned motor-cars in Moscow than at present, but Kozlovsky felt that an opera singer of his standing, with an income estimated to be at least 30,000 roubles a year—a large income in .Russia, although its real value is only about £soo—was entitled to his own car. He made an agreement with the Mototoff works at Gorki (formerly Nijni-Novgorod) to sing at a concert for their workers in return for a newly-pro-duced car. When he reached the factory to give the concert he became sus-

picious and demanded possession of the car before the concert started. This was refused, and Kozlovsky stuck to ki3 guns in spite of great pressure, returning to Moscow without singing. He was then subjected to bitter attacks in the press, accused of dishonouring the Soviet artists, of having no respect for the working class, and of being grasping. Although many of his colleagues privately expressed appreciation of his stand, the theatrical trade union staged a trial of the tenor before a court which had power to sentence him to exile or imprisonment. The hearings were suddenly ‘ ‘ postponed,” never to be resumed. The attention which the foreign Press began to lavish on the case may have had some connection with the “postponement.” It was clear, however, that the tenor did not enjoy favour, and he was not called on to appear on important occasions.

Kozlovsky continued to draw great crowds when he sang at the Bolshoi Theatre, and a throng of young women would stand outside the stage entrance after the performance to present flowers to him. Kozlovsky showed his versatility by turning to the production of operas, and his work in this field has apparently won him forgiveness.

Wrong Number ! The producer of a local dramatic society was giving final instructions before the curtain went up on the first night of the show. “Now don’t forget,” he told the heroine, “when the villain takes you in his arms you have to call out Joudl} 7 , ‘Please save me! Oh! Oh! Oh!’ ” But the heroine was a telephone girl and she brought down the house when she absent-mindedly cried, “Please save me. Oh, double-oli! ” Gone for Good. Tlie young wife was telling her friend about the quarrel she had had with her husband. “And now he’s left tlie house,” she added tearfully. “Oh, I wouldn’t let that worry you,” said her friend. “After all, lie’s done that before.” “Yes, but lie’s taken liis dart board with him this time,” said the unhappy one.

Tound. When a soldier is taken before his commanding officer on a charge his hat is removed and left on the floor outside the orderly room. One private was in trouble, and when the officer was in the middle of questioning him the door of the room opened and a “rookie” looked in to ask: “ ’As anyone ’ere lost an ’at?” Also Ran. Tom had put on a clean collar, and was strutting majestically down the village street. “Are you not working to-day, Tom?” asked the now vicar, as he passed. “No, sir, I’m celebrating my golden wedding.” “Then why isn’t your wife.helping you to celebrate?” “My present wife, sir,” replied Tom, with dignity, “ain’t got nothing to do with it; her’s the fourth.”