STEMPENYU THE FIDDLER1,
by Sholom Aleichem
(Yiddish: Stempenyu der fidler)
“Stempenyu
the Fiddler" is a comedy in three
acts and sixteen scenes by Sholom
Aleichem, which opened on 6 March
1929 at the Yiddish Art Theatre,
14th Street and Union Square, NYC.
The
cast of this Yiddish Art Theatre
production included:
Gershon Rubin, Max Rosenthal, I.
Greenberg, Boris Weiner, Morris
Silberkasten, Anatole Winogradoff,
Ben Zvee Baratoff, Michael Gibson,
Anna Teitelbaum, Bina Abramowitz,
Michael Rosenberg, Morris Strassberg,
Lazar Freed, M. B. Samuiloff, Sonya
Gurskaya, Louis Weisberg, Maurice
Schwartz, Liza Silbert, Anna
Silverman, Celia Adler, Ella Clair,
and Philip Sherman.
"The
present play is a dramatization of Sholom
Aleichem 's famous novelette of the same name.
First published in 1888, 'Stempenyu' exhibits
many of the qualities which were to make Sholom
Aleichem one of the very greatest as well as the
most popular of Yiddish writers. But was it
because this was the author's first tale of love
--the story is marked by a tender sentiment and
gentle irony not common in his later and more
mature works.
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photo:
Lazar Freed as "Stempenyu." |
'Stempenyu'
is a fine study of a musician with his
happy-go-lucky disposition and philandering
habits. It is also an admirable study in
contrasts: what delicate irony that is which
makes the romantic, easy-going, kindly Stempenyu
the husband of the prosaic, tight-fisted,
shrewish Fraydel, and the soulful Rochel the
wife of the boorish Maysheh Mendel! But above
all, 'Stempenyu' is a brilliant study of the
Russian-Jewish woman of those days, who hardly
knew the meaning of love as we in America
understand it; who, indeed, would have been
ashamed to feel, let alone own, such a sentiment
for man, including her own husband; who looked
upon marriage as a sacrament rather than a
spree; whose highest aim in life was to be a
good wife and mother, and whom no temptation
could shake in her devotion to the mate chosen
for her by her.
The
following resume of the plot of 'Stempenyu ' is
from the pen of Prof. Leo Wiener of Harvard
University [note: I have included the name of
the actor or actress who has played a particular role
within the parentheses below]:
'Stempenyu (Lazar Freed) is a violinist, the
leader of a band that plays at weddings. He has
great talent for music, and has developed his
powers entirely by self-instruction. He is a
real artist, and like many others of his
profession takes life easy, and is of amorous
propensities. He has frequently made love to
Jewish women, but the latter generally pay no
attention to his assurances. But once he falls
in love with a girl (Anna Teitelbaum) who takes
his words in earnest, and in a prosaic way,
without any idea of love on her part, compels
him to marry her. She takes him in her hands,
and would have him led a settled, prosaic life
also. But he finds relief from his sordid
existence every time he journeys with his band
to play at some wedding. Once he notices upon
such an occasion a young married woman who
awakes in him the first inkling of a real,
romantic love. Rochel (Ella Clair) -- that is
her name -- is both beautiful in form and kind
and lovable in character. After many overtures
he almost succeeds in gaining her love. It is
easier to succumb to Stempenyu's importunities,
since she has a silly, worthless man (Liza
Silbert) for a husband. She finally comes out
victoriously from her inner struggle, for her
religious conviction of the holiness of the
marriage ties is stronger in her than her
natural inclination. Stempenyu returns home, and
tries to find consolation and relief from his
scolding wife, by having more frequent recourse
to his violin. He plays even more sweetly and
more sadly than before.'"
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Stage version and
direction by Maurice Schwartz, with incidental
music by Joseph Achron. Settings and costumes by
Boris Aronson. Executed by A. Chertov. Staged
and produced by Mr. Schwartz. Executive Staff:
Joseph M. Grossman, Leon Hoffman, Managers; May
Strassberg, Treasurer. Stage Staff: Joseph
Schwartzberg, Librarian; Ben-Zion Katz, Stage
Manager; Technical Staff: Alex Chertov, Scenic
Artist; Herman Grossman, Master Carpenter; David
Gold, Master Electrician; George Nemser, Master
Properties; I. Misbin, Superintendent. |