You have fulfilled my long-held dream to see and have the NBC Opera productions of "The Saint of Bleecker Street" and "Maria Golovin." What a fantastic holiday gift this is. Thanks for everything you've given us and for keeping alive the work of one of the all-time greatest writers of opera. And now I will once again be my greedy self and hope to see the 1956 BBC TV production of "Saint," the 1/54 Ed Sullivan Show featuring a performance by the Broadway cast of "Saint," and an upgrade of my PBS/NYCO "Saint." For anyone interested, a few notes on this telecast: One wishes this were a half-hour longer. There are major cuts throughout, notably the entire first scene of Act Three (subway station) which includes an important duet for Annina and Michele. Not complaining---just for the record. Virginia Copeland is seen here in the lead. She also played Annina on the Broadway opening night on Dec. 27, 1954 and again in another TV production, on the BBC in '56. Yet on the RCA Victor '55 Broadway cast album, Annina is sung by Gabrielle Ruggiero, the alternate Annina. On Broadway, the role of Michele was alternated by David Poleri (heard on the cast recording) and Davis Cunningham. Here it's sung by neither of those men but rather by the Michele understudy, Richard Cassilly, who went on to a major Met career. On Broadway, the role of Desideria was played by Gloria Lane (previously the Secretary in Menotti's "The Consul" on Broadway), with future Met mezzo Mignon Dunn as understudy. Here Desideria is Rosemary Kuhlmann, already well known to TV audiences for creating and repeating the role of the Mother in Menotti's NBC Opera "Amahl and the Night Visitors." At the beginning, the first man to sing solo at Annina's door is Reid Shelton, who twenty-two years later would create the role of Oliver Warbucks in "Annie." The sailor who sings in Italian at the wedding is baritone John Reardon, who went on to Broadway ("New Faces of '56," "Do Re Mi") and the Met (created male lead in "Mourning Becomes Electra"), and sings Gabey on the Bernstein-conducted recording of "On the Town."
Very informative!! John Reardon also became friends with Fred Rogers and periodically would appear on the show introducing children (such as myself) to opera!
I am very interested to see this as I have only seen the 1956 BBC television production, also with Virginia Copeland in the lead role and Australian soprano June Bronhill as Carmela. Also, the BBC production featured Jess Walters and Rosalind Elias. Who would have believed there would be two television productions from around that same period. Thanks for uploading!
The background choir wasnt as big as I thought it was as in recordings it "sounds bigger". So they clearly needed powerful voices from each person. Menotti could be genius in using a smaller cast without ensembles and still pull off amazing sound like in THE CONSUL and THE MEDIUM. In AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS, he also utilized the choir very efficiently. AMAHL and TSOBS here both sound more "GRAND OPERA ISH" on recording, than perhaps they actually ARE.
Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that the role of Marco is portrayed by bass/baritone Leon Lishner, who originated the roles of Balthesar in "Amahl and the Night Visitors" and(perhaps most famously of all) the Secret Police Agent in "The Consul".
I made my own "Top 40 Operas Ever" list recently. I actually have this opera on it, at number 20. It's that good. Menotti's librettos are sometimes too scripty and overambitious, but here the music, themes, and pathos more than make up for it. This opera should be performed more often.
can we see leonard bernstein’s original trouble in tahiti??? been looking for years after seeing it at paley center decades ago - was on nbc opera theatre in 1951
Such a treasure. Thank you for this post.
Life is good when you can watch this on youtube. I used to live right off Bleecker. I had a framed copy of the LP on my wall.
You have fulfilled my long-held dream to see and have the NBC Opera productions of "The Saint of Bleecker Street" and "Maria Golovin." What a fantastic holiday gift this is. Thanks for everything you've given us and for keeping alive the work of one of the all-time greatest writers of opera.
And now I will once again be my greedy self and hope to see the 1956 BBC TV production of "Saint," the 1/54 Ed Sullivan Show featuring a performance by the Broadway cast of "Saint," and an upgrade of my PBS/NYCO "Saint."
For anyone interested, a few notes on this telecast:
One wishes this were a half-hour longer. There are major cuts throughout, notably the entire first scene of Act Three (subway station) which includes an important duet for Annina and Michele.
Not complaining---just for the record.
Virginia Copeland is seen here in the lead. She also played Annina on the Broadway opening night on Dec. 27, 1954 and again in another TV production, on the BBC in '56. Yet on the RCA Victor '55 Broadway cast album, Annina is sung by Gabrielle Ruggiero, the alternate Annina.
On Broadway, the role of Michele was alternated by David Poleri (heard on the cast recording) and Davis Cunningham. Here it's sung by neither of those men but rather by the Michele understudy, Richard Cassilly, who went on to a major Met career.
On Broadway, the role of Desideria was played by Gloria Lane (previously the Secretary in Menotti's "The Consul" on Broadway), with future Met mezzo Mignon Dunn as understudy. Here Desideria is Rosemary Kuhlmann, already well known to TV audiences for creating and repeating the role of the Mother in Menotti's NBC Opera "Amahl and the Night Visitors."
At the beginning, the first man to sing solo at Annina's door is Reid Shelton, who twenty-two years later would create the role of Oliver Warbucks in "Annie."
The sailor who sings in Italian at the wedding is baritone John Reardon, who went on to Broadway ("New Faces of '56," "Do Re Mi") and the Met (created male lead in "Mourning Becomes Electra"), and sings Gabey on the Bernstein-conducted recording of "On the Town."
Very informative!! John Reardon also became friends with Fred Rogers and periodically would appear on the show introducing children (such as myself) to opera!
This is one of the greatest operas of the XX th century!!! It must be perform much more often!!! Fantastic music and subject. Genius Menotti
My dad, Charles Polacheck, produced this program. Thanks for posting it.
Complimenti!!!
Splendido. Grazie per questa bellissima iniziativa. Un'opera bellissima di un artista e di un uomo straordinario.
Thank you for this . I can't believe I will be able to see this. Cannot thank you enough.
Immense Menotti, qui a renouvelé l’Opera! 🏆🎼🖤
I am very interested to see this as I have only seen the 1956 BBC television production, also with Virginia Copeland in the lead role and Australian soprano June Bronhill as Carmela. Also, the BBC production featured Jess Walters and Rosalind Elias. Who would have believed there would be two television productions from around that same period. Thanks for uploading!
Ricordi indelebili!!
This opera is dedicated to great Serbian artist Milena Pavlović Barili.
The background choir wasnt as big as I thought it was as in recordings it "sounds bigger". So they clearly needed powerful voices from each person. Menotti could be genius in using a smaller cast without ensembles and still pull off amazing sound like in THE CONSUL and THE MEDIUM. In AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS, he also utilized the choir very efficiently. AMAHL and TSOBS here both sound more "GRAND OPERA ISH" on recording, than perhaps they actually ARE.
Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that the role of Marco is portrayed by bass/baritone Leon Lishner, who originated the roles of Balthesar in "Amahl and the Night Visitors" and(perhaps most famously of all) the Secret Police Agent in "The Consul".
I made my own "Top 40 Operas Ever" list recently. I actually have this opera on it, at number 20. It's that good.
Menotti's librettos are sometimes too scripty and overambitious, but here the music, themes, and pathos more than make up for it. This opera should be performed more often.
can we see leonard bernstein’s original trouble in tahiti??? been looking for years after seeing it at paley center decades ago - was on nbc opera theatre in 1951
Thanks for the upload; it is much appreciated. Where'd you manage to dig this up? Is it straight from the Library of Congress?