Keni Liptzin
Encyclopedia
Keni Liptzin surname sometimes spelled Lipzin, was a star in the early years of Yiddish theater, probably the greatest female dramatic star of the first great era of Yiddish theater in New York City
.
Born in Zhytomyr
, in the Volhynian Governorate
of the Russian Empire
(in present-day Ukraine
), Liptzin had no formal education. She ran away from an arranged marriage, running to Smila
, where she was first discovered (originally for her singing voice) and put on stage in by Israel Rosenberg
in 1880. She originally used the stage name Keni Sonyes, but after marrying theatrical prompter
Volodya Liptzin in London
in the mid-1880s, she took his last name.
After Sonya Adler
's death in London in 1886, she played dramatic roles opposite Jacob Adler
and joined Adler when he came to America, playing with him in Chicago
, before travelling to New York City in 1889, where she played first in the company of Moishe Finkel
and David Kessler
, then renting her own theater. She was most famous for playing the lead roles in two Jacob Gordin plays, Di shkhite and Mirele Efros
, the former an attack on arranged marriage, the latter a story about an embittered matriarch who is finally reconciled again to her family. Abraham Cahan
, editor of the Jewish Daily Forward
, said of her performance in Mirele Efros, "Liptzin's pride, her humor, her shrewdness, come not from Lithuania
, but from Shakespeare," describing her as "...a Lear
... a queen..."
In her own theater, she also put on works by Victor Hugo
, Alphonse Daudet
, Gerhart Hauptmann
, and Leonid Andreyev
.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Born in Zhytomyr
Zhytomyr
Zhytomyr is a city in the North of the western half of Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Zhytomyr Oblast , as well as the administrative center of the surrounding Zhytomyr Raion...
, in the Volhynian Governorate
Volhynian Governorate
Volhynian Governorate was an administrative-territorial unit initially of the Russian Empire, created in 1792 after the Second Partition of Poland from the territory of the Kiev Voivodeship and Wołyń Voivodeship...
of the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
(in present-day Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
), Liptzin had no formal education. She ran away from an arranged marriage, running to Smila
Smila, Ukraine
Smila is a city located on the Tyasmyn River in the Cherkasy Oblast of central Ukraine. The city is itself a raion within the oblast as well as serving as the administrative centre of the wider Smiliansky Raion...
, where she was first discovered (originally for her singing voice) and put on stage in by Israel Rosenberg
Israel Rosenberg
Israel Rosenberg founded the first Yiddish theater troupe in Imperial Russia....
in 1880. She originally used the stage name Keni Sonyes, but after marrying theatrical prompter
Prompt (theatre)
The prompt in a theatre is traditionally the person who prompts or cues actors when they forget their lines or neglect to move on the stage to where they are supposed to be situated....
Volodya Liptzin in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in the mid-1880s, she took his last name.
After Sonya Adler
Sonya Adler
Sonya Adler , born Sonya Oberlander, early stage name Sonya Michelson, was one of the first women to perform in Yiddish theater in Imperial Russia...
's death in London in 1886, she played dramatic roles opposite Jacob Adler
Jacob Pavlovich Adler
Jacob Pavlovich Adler , born Yankev P. Adler, was a Jewish actor and star of Yiddish theater, first in Odessa, and later in London and New York City....
and joined Adler when he came to America, playing with him in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, before travelling to New York City in 1889, where she played first in the company of Moishe Finkel
Moishe Finkel
Moishe Finkel was a prominent figure in the early years of Yiddish theater. He was business partner first of Abraham Goldfaden and later of Sigmund Mogulesko and, for a time, was married to prima donna Annetta Schwartz...
and David Kessler
David Kessler (actor)
David Kessler was a prominent actor in the first great era of Yiddish theater. As a star Yiddish dramatic performer in New York City, he was the first leading man in Yiddish theater to dispense with incidental music....
, then renting her own theater. She was most famous for playing the lead roles in two Jacob Gordin plays, Di shkhite and Mirele Efros
Mirele Efros
Mirele Efros was an 1898 Yiddish play by Jacob Gordin. The title character is a powerful matriarch who becomes bitterly estranged from her own family...
, the former an attack on arranged marriage, the latter a story about an embittered matriarch who is finally reconciled again to her family. Abraham Cahan
Abraham Cahan
Abraham "Abe" Cahan was a Lithuanian-born American socialist newspaper editor, novelist, and politician.-Early years:...
, editor of the Jewish Daily Forward
The Forward
The Forward , commonly known as The Jewish Daily Forward, is a Jewish-American newspaper published in New York City. The publication began in 1897 as a Yiddish-language daily issued by dissidents from the Socialist Labor Party of Daniel DeLeon...
, said of her performance in Mirele Efros, "Liptzin's pride, her humor, her shrewdness, come not from Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, but from Shakespeare," describing her as "...a Lear
King Lear
King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The title character descends into madness after foolishly disposing of his estate between two of his three daughters based on their flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all. The play is based on the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological...
... a queen..."
In her own theater, she also put on works by Victor Hugo
Victor Hugo
Victor-Marie Hugo was a Frenchpoet, playwright, novelist, essayist, visual artist, statesman, human rights activist and exponent of the Romantic movement in France....
, Alphonse Daudet
Alphonse Daudet
Alphonse Daudet was a French novelist. He was the father of Léon Daudet and Lucien Daudet.- Early life :Alphonse Daudet was born in Nîmes, France. His family, on both sides, belonged to the bourgeoisie. The father, Vincent Daudet, was a silk manufacturer — a man dogged through life by misfortune...
, Gerhart Hauptmann
Gerhart Hauptmann
Gerhart Hauptmann was a German dramatist and novelist who received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1912.-Life and work:...
, and Leonid Andreyev
Leonid Andreyev
Leonid Nikolaievich Andreyev was a Russian playwright, novelist and short-story writer. He is one of the most talented and prolific representatives of the Silver Age period in Russian history...
.