The music of Don Gillis; The libretto, Part 2

You are listening to music by Don give us. The music you are now hearing his part of the overture to my one act comic opera the libretto. Last week we heard the first section and this broadcast will be devoted to the completion of the score the libretto is being brought to you by the national educational radio network. And each week I don go with I'm here with you wearing multiple hats. Most of the time for I am commentator a writer composer and sometimes a conductor for this series of 13 programmes devoted to my music. I wrote the libretto in one thousand fifty seven fifty eight. It's a story that concerns itself with the composer's problems the ever present problem of finding a libretto

in my own case I was chatting with a composer friend of mine Dr. Edward should have caught one evening after coffee and he was lamenting about the same thing. He wanted to write another opera but just couldn't seem to locate the appropriate book. I suggested jokingly that he write an opera about not being able to find one and then decided in that instant I would like to do it myself. And so as simple as that the idea came and a few months the score was finished. Now as we review what happened last week Mr. William Emmet our very successful composer was feeling very badly because he thought he was a failure. He hadn't been able to write an opera yet but all of his colleagues had been quite successful at it. He explains the problem to his wife Jan and she urges him to write it anyway and suggest that the two of them together can come up with a very fine show. Last week we heard a few of her sample suggestions and as we continue to listen now Jan persists in her helpfulness with great

enthusiasm. The music is being performed by Marilyn Taylor savages Jan and Leslie Gwyn in the role of the composer William Emmett. Captain Gilbert h Mitchell Jr. inducted members of the United States Army Band at Fort Myer Virginia. The performance was arranged through the cooperation of Colonel Hugh Carey and is being used in this broadcast through permission of the Office of Information. So now if you're operatically inclined we'd like for you to be the audience for part two of the one act comic opera the libretto. Whatever it. Was.

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You have been listening to the libretto. A one act comedy with words and music by Don GILL It's the part of the composer William Emmet was sung by Leslie Quinn and the role of the none too helpful wife was sung by Marilyn Taylor savaged Captain Gilbert h Mitchell of the United States Army Band was our conductor. The libretto had its first stage performance at the convention of the National Opera Association under the supervision of North Texas University's opera workshop director Eugene Connelly. I'm particularly glad I wrote the libretto for. I like humor and music and I enjoy writing stage works that are light and entertaining. If you don't mind I'd like to mention a few of the other operas I've done. First was a comedy called The Park Avenue kids. The second an opera about college life in the championship football game. It was titled pep rally and then I wrote the libretto which is what you just heard followed by a full length work called Star Power junction.

And just this summer I completed another one act opera based on oh Henry's famed short story The Gift of The Magic I currently am at work on still another comedy called The Murgatroyd some of that manner and who knows we may hear it all on this program sometime in the future. Next week our concert will be devoted entirely to music or a band. We'll hear a march which like the march in the story of the libretto was written for a bridge dedication. It's titled The Mighty Mac. We'll also hear the ballet from a band called the front. Here is one and the program will conclude with the sort of mixed up menu at titled menu etc. your most cordially invited to be with us again next week when the national educational radio network presents music by Don Gillis and this is done you're listening. Thanks for listening. And so long for now this is the National Education all radio network.