U. S. Radio (Jan-Dec 1960)

I'lider the skillful direction ol piodiuer Cieraldine Soiiviiine, Texaco has developed a series ol intermission leatures that contain a wealth ol inlorniation al)oiit opera in !>eneral, and ihat Salurday's perloiniance in particular. In order ol airing, they are the Opera Neirs On The Ai). with Boris Goldovsky, Norman Dello Joio and others; Texaco's Opera (liiiz, with Edward Downes as quizmaster, and Texaco's Roving Reporter, with (llifton Fadinian. The announcer is Milion Cross. In addition to his other chores, Mr. Cross gives the story synopses belore each act. This season marks the fdteenth lor Opera Nezvs On The Air, the radio edition ol the Metropolitan Opera Guild's magazine, "Opera News." This feature, planned in cooperation with the opera management and the Opera Guild, is designed by Miss Souvaine and her associates to be a "commercial for the opera of the afternoon." The purpose is to interest listeners in the particidar opera being broadcast. According to Miss Souvaine, the programs are intended to ". . . illuminate opera for the musically uninitiated as well as for the well-informed opera lover. This is difficult whether the opera happens to be an old favorite or a new, unfamiliar work. In the first case, it is hard to find a new idea or angle from which to approach what might l)e the eighteenth broadcast of La Boheme, Carmen or La Traviala. In the second case, it is a real challenge to interest the public in a work of which they may never Iiave heard." MUSICAL EDUCATION In sunmiing up. Miss Souvaine says that ". . . there has been no situation comparable to the Texaco intermissions in which nuisical and operatic information has been provided to such huge numbers of people in ternrs they coidd understand, and yet terms that are also authentic l)v the best vardsticks of scholastic nuisical education. "These programs and operatic analyses — sometimes occupying as nuich as 80 minutes an afternoon — have played a conspicuous part." we leel, "in the development oi the warm affection and pride that exists throughout the country for the Metrf)|jolitan Opera." Although Texaco's opera sponsorship has been intended and accepted as an almost pure example of public service since 1940, it would seem that in radio, as elsewhere, virtue is sometimes its own reward. Witness this typical letter received earlier this year by Texaco from an opera lover in St. Petersburg, Fla.: "Please add my distant handclap to the general applause for the magnificent performance of Tristan and Isolde at the Metropolitan this afternoon. I hope you and CBS realize that in these days there may be many of us who prefer good live nuisic and opera to tv westerns, or even a football game. "And just to show that it is worthwhile commercially, I shall leel obligated from now on to switch to Texaco as a means of paving my subscription ticket to today's and future Metropolitan broadcasts." It is perha]js through such letters that Texaco has discovered that enlightened public ser\ice may often be the key to substantial profit as ^vell. • • • Millions of Americans spend Saturday afternoon at the opera through these broadcasts direct from the great stage of the Met. For the second season, Texaco, Inc. has sponsored The Metropolitan Opera on CBS Radio, bringing the brilliance and excitement of opera at its best into more homes than ever before. A netivork radio program in the public interest . C{my U. S. RADIO Md\ 1960 55