first time, it was not
possible to read Yiddish text, and it had to be
transferred -- to her in Russian ethics [autiut] and to
him in Polish.
And although Kelter, besides
being a singer without any special artistic abilities
that he excelled at, he, however, due to his general
intelligence and tactical action, created a respectful
relationship in the environment of the actors, and also
had a favorable press.
Then the European operetta
astonished at the boards of "Eliza" three premieres in
one season: "Chava" by Franz Lehar, "Shoshana" from
Gilbert, and "Tsigayner libe (Gypsy Love)" from Lehar,
all in my opinion, and in the offering of Neroslavska-Kelter
in the main role.
Kelter remained on the
Yiddish stage. Once caught up in a whirlpool, it
couldn't be so quickly turned away from him. However in
the "Pintele Yid," and in "Yidishe nehomes (Jewish
Souls)," he didn't feel like he was in his skin, and
there was unable to hold onto his previous exalted
position. Due to his intelligence and idealistic soul,
he acquired a great deal of land from the artists, and
even for a certain time was chairman of the union.
Gradually, however, he became alienated from this
profession, and for him he is entirely away from it."
Noakh Prilutski writes about
K.'s acting in "Shoshana the Chaste":
"An important win for the
Yiddish stage is the intelligent and sympathetic Mr.
Kelter. His singing and his acting were very pleasant.
He only should pay more attention putting on the hand
and foot: He throws in too much with them. This somewhat
shatters the impression. The movements of cultural
people are always disciplined."
Zygmunt Turkow in his book,
"Fragments of My Life," speaks retrospectively about the
offering of "Chava" in Yiddish, and puts it this way
about K.:
"True, Neroslavska has also
contributed to the success of the Yiddish "Eva." The
younger operetta singer Jacob Kelter, who then debuted
in Yiddish theatre, has brought out freshness, and a new
tone in the present, the standard way of playing a
'lover.' Disappeared is the petiteness of word and
movement, the employment of 'interrelated' attitudes and
'innate' elements that would have even more emphatically
emphasized the primitive vulgarity of the employee.
Jacob Kelter was a happy win for the Yiddish theatre,
and had with time occupied a prominent position. Alone
from an assimilated Warsaw family, he became interested
in Yiddish theatre and was kindly received. Also we
loved receiving Kelter, feeling in him a good friend,
indeed. He was close to our interests and struggles, and
he indeed for years later, already in independent
Poland, at one time was elected as chairman of Yiddish
Artist's Union, which he also helped to establish."
On 12 September 1938 K.
passed away in Warsaw.
-
Noakh Prilutski --
"Yiddish Theatre," Bialystok, 1921, Vol, 2. pg. 122.
-
Pesakh Kaplan --
Yakov kelter -- der europeasher artist oyf der
yudisher stsene, "Nayer folksblat," Lodz, 19
September 1938.
-
Zygmunt Turkow --
"Fragments of My Life," Buenos Aires, 1951, p. 237.
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