dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti z ænd nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi z, kˈɪpnizᵻz tʃˈiːf bˈeɪs ɹˈaɪvəlz wɜː ðə vˈaɪbɹənt ɪtˈæliənz nˌæzɐɹˈɛnoʊ də ˈændʒɛliz, ˈɛzɪˌoʊ pˈɪnzə ænd tæŋkɹˈɛdi pæzˈɛɹoʊ ɪnðə vˈɜːdi ɹˈɛpɚtwˌɑːɹ, ænd ðə blˈækvˈɔɪst noːɹwˈiːdʒən ˈɪvɑːɹ ˈændɹɛzən ɪnðə wˈæɡnɚ ɹˈɛpɚtwˌɑːɹ.
During the 1920s and 1930s, Kipnis's chief bass rivals were the vibrant Italians Nazzareno De Angelis, Ezio Pinza and Tancredi Pasero in the Verdi repertoire, and the black-voiced Norwegian Ivar Andresen in the Wagner repertoire.