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Opera - I Pagliacci by
Ruggiero Leoncavallo was the first opera broadcast on television. The
Metropolitan Opera Company of New York City performed a "condensed" version
of this opera on March 10, 1940 over station W2XBS. Performing from a Radio
City studio, the cast included tenors Armand Tokatyan/Alessio de Paolis,
baritones Richard Bonelli and George Cehanovsky, and soprano Hilda Burke.
The performance was conducted by Francis St. Leger.
The play tells the tale of Canio who discovers his wife
Nedda is having an affair with a villager, Silvio. At the play's conclusion,
Canio kills his wife and lover and pronounces "La Commedia e finita" (The
comedy is over).
Hansel & Gretel by Humperdinck was the first
"complete" opera televised. It aired December 23, 1943 on the General
Electric Company station WRGB in Schenectady, New York.
Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian-Carlo Menotti
was the first "written for television" opera performed by the NBC Opera
Company on Christmas Eve December 24, 1951 from WNBT, New York City.
Sponsored by Hallmark Greeting Cards, this gentle holiday fantasy became an
annual Yuletide tradition in the 1950s. It is the story of a twelve year old
crippled boy (Soprano Chet Allen) who befriends the three Kings searching
for the baby, Jesus in the town of Bethlehem. The program was conducted by
Thomas Schippers.
Carmen by Bizet was the first "major" opera to be
televised in "color." Sung in English, the one-hour broadcast originated
from WNBT-TV in New York City on October 31, 1953. The NBC-TV Opera Theater
performers included Vera Bryner as Carmen; Robert Rounseville as Don Jose;
and Warren Galjour as Escamillo. The performance was directed by Peter
Herman Adler.
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