Lydia Lipkowska
Encyclopedia
Lydia Lipkowska was a Russian opera
tic soprano
. Born in Babino, she was trained at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory
. She was committed to the Mariinsky Theatre
from 1906–1908 and again from 1911–1913. She was a member of the Metropolitan Opera
in New York City
from 1909 -1911. Lipkowska's debut with the Metropolitan was as Violetta in La Traviata
on November 18, 1909, with Caruso as Alfredo. She sang as a guest artist at the Boston Opera Company
in 1909 and the Chicago Grand Opera Company
in 1910. While in Boston, Lipkowska was honored by The Lenox Hotel
, which put on its menu the "cup Lydia" and the "Souffle a la Lipkowska." She petioned a judge for an injunction against the hotel, claiming that the menu items were "injuring her reputation and holding her up to ridicule." In 1911 she made her debut at the Royal Opera House
in London as Mimì in Giacomo Puccini
's La bohème
.
In 1912, Lipkowska charged New York gangster Sam Schepps
with usury
over his refusal to return two diamonds worth $80,000 that she'd pawned to him. Lipkowska said that she'd borrowed $12,000 from Schepps, had left the diamonds with him as security, and that he sought $5000 in interest before he would return the jewels. In 1914 she sang in the world premiere of Amilcare Ponchielli
's I Mori di Valenza at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo
.
Lipkowska escaped from the Soviet Union
with her then husband Pierre Bodin in 1920, arriving in New York on the Adriatic
of the White Star Line
on February 8. In September of 1920, Lipkowska sang Gilda in Rigoletto
with the San Carlo Opera Company
in Manhattan. After retiring from the stage she lived in Romania where she was active as a voice teacher. One of her students was the soprano Virginia Zeani
. She died in Beirut
at the age of 75. For part of her life she was married to baritone Georges Baklanoff
.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
tic soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
. Born in Babino, she was trained at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory
Saint Petersburg Conservatory
The N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov Saint Petersburg State Conservatory is a music school in Saint Petersburg. In 2004, the conservatory had around 275 faculty members and 1,400 students.-History:...
. She was committed to the Mariinsky Theatre
Mariinsky Theatre
The Mariinsky Theatre is a historic theatre of opera and ballet in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Opened in 1860, it became the preeminent music theatre of late 19th century Russia, where many of the stage masterpieces of Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, and Rimsky-Korsakov received their premieres. The...
from 1906–1908 and again from 1911–1913. She was a member of the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
in New York City
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...
from 1909 -1911. Lipkowska's debut with the Metropolitan was as Violetta in La Traviata
La traviata
La traviata is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It is based on La dame aux Camélias , a play adapted from the novel by Alexandre Dumas, fils. The title La traviata means literally The Fallen Woman, or perhaps more figuratively, The Woman...
on November 18, 1909, with Caruso as Alfredo. She sang as a guest artist at the Boston Opera Company
Boston Opera Company
The Boston Opera Company was an American opera company located in Boston, Massachusetts that was active from 1909 to 1915.-History:The company was founded in 1908 by Bostonian millionaire Eben Dyer Jordan, Jr. and impresario Henry Russell...
in 1909 and the Chicago Grand Opera Company
Chicago Grand Opera Company
Two grand opera companies in Chicago have gone by the name Chicago Grand Opera CompanyThe first Chicago Grand Opera Company produced four seasons of opera in Chicago’s Auditorium Theater from the Fall of 1910 through November 1915. It was the first resident Chicago opera company...
in 1910. While in Boston, Lipkowska was honored by The Lenox Hotel
The Lenox Hotel
The Lenox Hotel is a hotel in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. It is located at the corner of Boylston and Exeter Streets. One block from Newbury Street, Copley Square, and the Prudential Tower, The Lenox sits next to the Boston Public Library.-History:...
, which put on its menu the "cup Lydia" and the "Souffle a la Lipkowska." She petioned a judge for an injunction against the hotel, claiming that the menu items were "injuring her reputation and holding her up to ridicule." In 1911 she made her debut at the Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
in London as Mimì in Giacomo Puccini
Giacomo Puccini
Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini was an Italian composer whose operas, including La bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, and Turandot, are among the most frequently performed in the standard repertoire...
's La bohème
La bohème
La bohème is an opera in four acts,Puccini called the divisions quadro, a tableau or "image", rather than atto . by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on Scènes de la vie de bohème by Henri Murger...
.
In 1912, Lipkowska charged New York gangster Sam Schepps
Sam Schepps
Samuel Schepps , also known as Schapps, was a New York City mobster with the Monk Eastman Gang. Schepps ran gambling houses for Jack Zelig as part of his work with the gang.-Biography:...
with usury
Usury
Usury Originally, when the charging of interest was still banned by Christian churches, usury simply meant the charging of interest at any rate . In countries where the charging of interest became acceptable, the term came to be used for interest above the rate allowed by law...
over his refusal to return two diamonds worth $80,000 that she'd pawned to him. Lipkowska said that she'd borrowed $12,000 from Schepps, had left the diamonds with him as security, and that he sought $5000 in interest before he would return the jewels. In 1914 she sang in the world premiere of Amilcare Ponchielli
Amilcare Ponchielli
Amilcare Ponchielli was an Italian composer, largely of operas.-Biography:Born in Paderno Fasolaro, now Paderno Ponchielli, near Cremona, Ponchielli won a scholarship at the age of nine to study music at the Milan Conservatory, writing his first symphony by the time he was ten years old.Two years...
's I Mori di Valenza at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo
Opéra de Monte-Carlo
The Opéra de Monte-Carlo is an opera house located in the principality of Monaco.With the lack of cultural diversions available in Monaco in the 1870s, Prince Charles III, along with the Société des Bains de Mer, decided on the construction of an opera house. Initially, it was Charles III's...
.
Lipkowska escaped from the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
with her then husband Pierre Bodin in 1920, arriving in New York on the Adriatic
RMS Adriatic (1907)
RMS Adriatic was an ocean liner of the White Star Line. She was the fourth of a quartet of ships measuring over 20,000 tons, dubbed The Big Four, the ship was the only one of the four which was never the world's largest ship however, she was the fastest of the Big Four...
of the White Star Line
White Star Line
The Oceanic Steam Navigation Company or White Star Line of Boston Packets, more commonly known as the White Star Line, was a prominent British shipping company, today most famous for its ill-fated vessel, the RMS Titanic, and the World War I loss of Titanics sister ship Britannic...
on February 8. In September of 1920, Lipkowska sang Gilda in Rigoletto
Rigoletto
Rigoletto is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. The Italian libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on the play Le roi s'amuse by Victor Hugo. It was first performed at La Fenice in Venice on March 11, 1851...
with the San Carlo Opera Company
San Carlo Opera Company
The San Carlo Opera Company was the name of two different opera companies active in the United States during the first half of the twentieth century.-History:...
in Manhattan. After retiring from the stage she lived in Romania where she was active as a voice teacher. One of her students was the soprano Virginia Zeani
Virginia Zeani
Virginia Zeani is a Romanian soprano, particularly associated with the Italian repertory, especially the role of in "La traviata".-Early life:Zeani was born Virginia Zehan, in Solovăstru, Romania...
. She died in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
at the age of 75. For part of her life she was married to baritone Georges Baklanoff
Georges Baklanoff
Georges Baklanoff was a Russian operatic baritone who had an active international career from 1903 until his death in 1938. Possessing a powerful and flexible voice, he sang roles from a wide variety of musical periods and in many languages...
.