A COFFEE-HOUSE IN WARSAW

New Zealand Listener, Volume 2, Issue 34, 16 February 1940, Page 23

A COFFEE-HOUSE IN WARSAW

Polish Lawyer Remembers "Paris Of The North"

N May of last year, a young Polish Doctor of Law called Leon Lipson left his native Warsaw and set out, via Danzig, to travel through the Continent. When he passed through Danzig, clashes had occurred between University students and police; it was the premonitory rumbling of ‘that hatred and antagonism which was to flare up some few weeks later when Adolf Hitler sent his first soldiers on to Polish soil. Passing through Danzig in May, Dr. Lipson little thought that war would come when it did. The Warsaw he left behind him, with its wide streets, fine buildings and gay cafes seemed solid enough. Now he has only memories of the great city of a million anda-half people, which once was known as "The Paris of the North." By profession a barrister and solicitor, Dr. Lipson was also interested in the many spheres of cultural and artistic life in the city. He was also a newspaper man, doing criticisms of concerts and contributing essays to the journal "Our Review." Among the worldfamed figures he knew personally are Huberman and Jan Kiepura. He also knew Szymanowski, who died a short time ago. The vortex of Warsaw’s artistic life was a little coffee-house called IPS — (or "Institute for the Propaganda of Art"). Here the intelligentsia used to meet. Musicians would bring along their latest compositions, which would be played and then criticised by the audiences; on certain evenings poets and writers brought their most recent works and read from them. The younger generations of artists were helped by the established great men, ‘The Polish theatre, Dr. Lipson considers, was the second greatest in Europe. Although mostly Polish plays were presented there, the classic dramas of France, England and other countries were also staged. Several modern English

playwrights’ works were put on, especialiy the works of G. B. Shaw, One of the best productions Dr. Lipson remembers seeing there was of "Pygmalion." The play translates well into Polish, and ran for six months. "A few months before war broke out we formed an amateur theatre for experiment," said Dr, Lipson. "We took a comedy by Moliere, and read it without gestures before an audience. Then we played the same piece again, this time with gestures put in. The first performance proved to be the most effective." Which seems to prove the contention that many old plays are most pleasing when most simply and unadornedly Ps duced. Dr. Lipson has always been interested in music. He remembers the fine concerts given by 'the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, under Fitelberg, or under famous visiting conductors. Dr. Lipson is to give a series of lecture-recitals from 2YA Wellington during the next few weeks. The first, on " Paderewski — the Artist and the Man," will be presented at 9.25 p.m. on Tuesday, February 20.