Hall of song: The 'Met,' 1883-1966; 1950

The following program was produced for national educational radio under a grant from the National Home Library Foundation by W. B U R Boston. Boston University radio presents Hall of song the story of the Metropolitan Opera from 1893 to 1966. You are the only. One. You're still where you are. Please. Your hosts are miles cast and take a critical view of the world where you are. And no don't cross.

Long as all the excitement over the opening night of the 1950 season had past activity at the Metropolitan returned to normal again on as close to normal as life ever is at an opera house. The severities Don Carlo that inaugurated the first year of Rudolph beings a managerial regime demonstrated beyond any doubt that the new impresario did indeed plan to have the Metropolitan's productions be ones of high theatrical as well as musical quality. Today after 16 years of the administration opera is no novelty to New York audiences in 1950 However this concept was quite unusual. Not since the days of Heinrich Henri to assume control of the company in one thousand three had the Metropolitan scene a general manager with such an innate sense of operas the trickle potential. Fortunately beings musical knowledge was considerably more extensive than Konrads had been for the most part however the Metropolitan had been content to have Opera just exclusively as a flow

of music. With the advent of being though it was quite evident that a change in attitude was about to take place in the reviews of his first opening night. The names of the designer were off Feraud in the direct to Margaret Webster figured almost as prominently as those of the leading singers. Shortly after the opening came the new production a deflated mouse staged by Garson Kanan with a revised book and in an English translation by Howard Dietz the efforts of these gentlemen contributed much to making the production the greatest box office success the Metropolitan had ever enjoyed. During the next few years they continued in much the same way. Cosi Fan Tutte returned to the repertory after 23 seasons absence in a Caffre integrated production directed by Alfred Lunt with an English translation by Ruth and Thomas Martin another of the highlights of the 1951 season was a new production of Carmen supervised by Tyrone Guthrie

and shortly thereafter Joseph Mankiewicz was imported from Hollywood to direct labo M. Other notable directors to appear at the Metropolitan by the request of Bing or Franco Zeffirelli George Balanchine Jose Quinn taro and entered the diversified background of these men can be credited for much of the freedom that was brought to the operatic acting through their efforts. The results may not have been consistently successful but at least they relieve the monotony of watching one performance after another in which the singers were content to cling to the stagger and clutch School of Drama. In line with the Metropolitan's new outlook most of the new sing is in gauge for Broadway and 31st were as much noted for their acting as they were for their singing. One of the first artists of this caliber who arrived at the Metropolitan was the German baton Hans Hofmann who made his debut during being's first season. Mr. Hart his interest

in the theatrical aspects of operates so great that he now spends more of his time producing and directing and singing. He talked about this when he spoke with the producer of the series Richard Calhoun who started when you first came to the Met. That was in a season in 1950 and you made your debut the same season Rudolph was making his debut as general manager. Yes it was the Flying Dutchman. And I remember that time. This production happened for trying I was conducting. And sent us. And I've got quite a few performances of this and later on another part I did was to visit Don Carlos which was the opening performance of that season. And now you have done these and many of your other

parts long before coming to the Met had you. Yes in fact I did my first batch mint in Hamburg with the Hamburg company opera company in I think it must have been 36 dead early. Yes. And had he sung this part of course in between about 200 times if I there were any differences in terms of staging and getting around on the stage between European experience and what you found at the Met. I don't think there is too much difference I mean apart from the fact that because the taste has so much changed that in within these 30 years the way of acting is of course very different to what we did in the beginning or even what I saw when I was a young man here in Munich seeing the old time bad tones like heaven isn't. Then later on in the season and throughout all your years with the Metropolitan whatever Four Seasons you sang I think yes I was there from 1950 to 54.

Well there was some production off Salame I sang with you by village and there was in the cast. And a performance production of Electra. I think that I said Vanity Fair's director dead on this occasion. What was it about villages salomé that made it so outstanding everyone now even though she was there for a relatively short time says that that was the greatest. I think that's very cool. Good combination of so many effects in her personality was very enormous whoever saw it knows what stage presence she had and she was a very musical person and then I think the salomé hasn't been done at the Met for so many years and that gave her a modest chance to appropriate this very part which made her so famous.

You were doing to your kind and I was doing the Ohana. Yes. Did you find that role interesting it's. Well I wanted I had the opportunity to work this part and even sing once under the composer Charles himself. And that was in fact my music dept. when I came to Munich at 37 this was the first production under the direction of human skulls I sang this part first time. And then in the elector you did all right. Yes. Which of the two did you prefer in terms of the parts and the operas I'm selves because they run moralising neck and neck. That's right that it's hard to decide which one you prefer I think that bodes marvelous for the actions of this man who I had the privilege to work with for quite a number of years when he was here present. I've been at the origin and developed the original performances of freedon stock and the company to hear music.

Now most of your career ascended around if not well generally the German repertoire but specifically the Wagnerian one doing outside of Germany of course mostly asked to sing the Wagnerian parts which is quite understandable. But of course here in our home companies we're seeing all sorts of path. The Italians too and whatever is in the range of her voice this. Did you miss this at the Met. Yes to a certain extend I missed it but now I understand this has changed a bit. I mean it's not so much I don't want to tell you parts for instance I'm not so much on the edge of Italian singers. Well in your bag Marian performances principally in the ring you were at a spot there and at some of the old great names such as Helen trouble was still singing. And then after she left the you know solid Wagnerian company of the 30s and what more or less fell apart. Did you notice any great differences

singing with trouble and some of the others who followed her. Well the difference I think as I mentioned before is mainly in the way of acting and staging which with the end of the wah I think did quite some change. If you just look to buy a ride on Wagner has done this tremendous change which I think you may like to do or not has done an enormous improvement for the for the for the likes of what you called it for you. From the Guardian from Guy music I want to get to that. There's certainly there has been a sort of an old fashioned way of producing these parts which we kind of don't like so much times now. Well of course it already left when you arrived and yeah roles were taken over mainly by spawn Oh yes by the way he was a great friend of mine and down fortune he has

died two years ago up and down he was 10 our partner for many performances at the Metropolitan. And of course I know other places in South America because of a long and then B and I was I sang with him and in and out of the boy in fifty two. He did Tristan and I think the quote which I did at the MET too late and I did to you King Mark which is no more my part we more or less grew up then in these operas from some of the smaller parts and of the bigger ones. No in fact I started crying when I started my operatic arias which was now but thirty six years ago. Right away I was asked to do the pickup parts what I did that time of course and smaller opera companies. And. The development of cause it appears now is

quite different from what it was then. One of your colleagues in the Italian repertoire as you say appealing so my mission was wonderful to work with us a fine fine artist and a very very good colleague I remember him when he sing then a part in Don Carlos too was out on the opening night as well. Yes he sang the opening night of course later on to I met him in San Francisco and other places to Vienna. We were telling me a while ago that the early part of your career you were doing a pleasure of meeting Laos lazing. Yes that was in Prague and he came there to do more acting part in an operetta and then had the opportunity to meet him and most in total to meet this man whom I have seen out of mind for such a long time and I was still a boy. I haven't heard him of course and one of his bigger parts but that evening I remember quite clearly and that's most

impressive. You could still hear the term bro and the power of his voice and you know that time already he's laid in Lee's late 60s. And it will still follow and the most amusing of course he had a hilarious part of his and tried to do a three day life in my mind this. OK Sion from what you heard of his voice even then what would you say it had that other voices didn't or was it I think it through for him but it's always through for an exceptional voice. You can't you cannot compare it with any other wise it was your most powerful and then had them on this lyric quality at the same time which you don't find so often. And of course his personality was so strong that in connection with his marvelous voice you can only understand his fame. Did you find. Perhaps it's somewhat harder. At the Metropolitan to get

parts that you want to do and you do in Europe because the Met has so many stars you know in all voice ranges I must be an awful lot of competition among you to come out on top all the time. Yes but I mean this is more or less true for any leading opera company now but of course at the Metropolitan but I think there was quite a good sounds of comradeship among the colleagues and I must say I was I was. Really quite happy all of the staff. Which of the conductors did you work most with Well Fritz was one of them and three. And I sang with a radio. I don't remember what this bill on the conductors I sang with at the Met and have at golf was mostly the producer. That time when I was a cause of something that you are working more on now. Yes I have started since a couple of years to

go into producing and I enjoyed very much. Were you watching even then. Different techniques of stage production in preparation for those who did this. While your comedy would fail I didn't actually develop mid-night going into. But of course it gives so much more. It's more of the gaiety even you can Burke and talk to a young artist and give them experiences you have made yourself and the whole experience and the drive and this of course. Widespread as a producer and not so limited as for a singer. How does a producer just go about a new production where do you start. Now in my particular case having been a singer for so many years your brooch comes. Made in respect of course from the practical side and

I see my work especially in respect to how to hand or give young singer's experiences and help them to overcome difficulties I have had to overcome myself. And then of course the combination of the story and the music and the scenery. Going into one I think should be the main task a producer should look upon his work as an opera. No you don't do your own designing that someone else does this I don't you just supervise the coordination of it all. Yes and of course and I especially. I like to concentrate on the acting off to sing us in particular. Not so much so much the mass production rather than Then the individual. Guiding of singers how to mostly singers are not born actors. But of course there is a

grad percentage of singers who are able to do quite a lot of acting if you just give them a chance to develop it and it takes time and therefore I do the modern development of these careers which grow overnight. It's not good for opera. You need a certain time. I would say it's a number of years in order to be able to go into your parts. So any chance of you or any of your productions will be coming to the Metropolitan. Why don't I would enjoy one tub song. I would be certain to do it in your work here in Europe you do more experimental productions than are done at the Metropolitan. Is there any reason the European companies seem generally to accept a new approach more than the map. There are when you look through the years and even what's being done now it's for the most part pretty conventional. Wouldn't you say. I think it was always throughout the metro.

Maybe this is part of the charm of this opera house that it had a certain responsibility for this tradition. So things come a little slower about that. Experimental. Vera doesn't fit into this house I think. Do you have any particular feeling about the destruction of the old man. Well of course if you like a place and connect the idea of the Metropolitan to that that the Ninth Street has a sort of Saudi base but on the other hand of course time goes on and we need to do it. I think New York needs a home of that extended into its end and that's interesting because you get these two types of opinion the ones who are interested in the house because of its memories and then the others who like yourself are more concerned with what our house will do for

opera and of course the Met for years and years has been yes boxed in there around 39 straight. And this is something you must have noticed particularly with your interest in the production aspects. Yes and I think when we all of us if we talk about can Opera go and live on. We have to a test ourselves to taste and to the demands of the modern audiences and they really have a certain right to ask for more than just beautiful voices and good music and modern opera house can of course give more. This production is concerned with development as it is now. Meet.

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I am I am. I am. I am. I am. I am I am I am yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. That was the noted Badda tone. I was hotter first head as he discussed his

career at the Old Met with our producer Richard Calhoun and then in the great demand from the Flying Dutchman the opera in which he made his debut during the 950 season. The part of the center in that recording was sung by the Metropolitan's and comparable dramatic soprano beget Nielsen But M. Nielsen herself will be with us here next week to tell us all about her years at Broadway and 31st. She has many amusing stories to tell. And I know you won't want to miss this very entertaining program. For now this is Milton Cross. On behalf of Myles cast and thanking you for listening. To Ed. With. With. News. Boston University Radio has presented Hall of songs the story

of the Metropolitan Opera from 1883 to 1966. The series is created and produced by Richard Calhoun a grant from the National Home Library Foundation has made possible the production of the four national educational radio. This is the national educational radio network.