Opera for the People was an Australian commercial radio program produced and conducted by Hector Crawford. Well-known operas were retold by a narrator and actors, punctuated with their most tuneful arias, performed by some of Australia's best singers, backed with a symphony orchestra. Most were spread over two half-hour segments, but could be played as one continuous program. The long-running series also sold to New Zealand, Canada and Hawaii, and was copied elsewhere.[1] The program was broadcast on 3DB, from 19 November 1946 to 20 March 1949; 21 operas were presented in this format, most were played twice — whether fresh productions or old recordings replayed was not divulged. Originally scheduled for Tuesdays at 8 pm, from 2 March 1947 3DB and 3LK broadcast the program on Sunday evenings at 7 pm, the slot previously occupied by the serial Melba.

Crawford ran an Opera for the People quest in Sydney, broadcast 3DB and 53 other stations throughout Australia – the largest commercial radio hookup to that date — 27 June 1947.[2]

Episodes

Concerts

The first public concert in the series was held at the Melbourne Botanic Gardens on Saturday 3 March 1947, with singers Glenda Raymond, John Lanigan, William Laird, David Allen, and Ailsa MacKenzie reprising their parts in the radio adaptation of Rigoletto. The concert was broadcast live by Victorian radio stations 3DB-3LK, 3BA (Ballarat), 3BO (Bendigo), and 3GL (Geelong), and worldwide through Radio Australia.[19]

An Opera for the People concert was held 30 June 1947 at the Melbourne Town Hall in aid of the YWCA. Soloists included John Lanigan, Maxwell Cohen, Glenda Raymond and Noella Cornish; accompanist, Eunice Garland.[20] £709 was raised.[21]

A concert by the stars of Opera for the People was held on 8 August 1947 in the Horsham Town Hall, in aid of the Horsham Base Hospital.[22]

Reviews

References

  1. ^ "U.S. Keen on "Opera for the People"". The Herald (Melbourne). No. 22, 320. Victoria, Australia. 3 December 1948. p. 5. Retrieved 24 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ "Quest for Singers". The Herald (Melbourne). No. 21, 872. Victoria, Australia. 27 June 1947. p. 8. Retrieved 23 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ a b ""Opera for the People"". The Herald (Melbourne). No. 21, 577. Victoria, Australia. 16 July 1946. p. 9. Retrieved 17 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "Today's Information Guide". The Herald (Melbourne). No. 21, 697. Victoria, Australia. 3 December 1946. p. 17. Retrieved 23 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "Today's Guide". The Herald (Melbourne). No. 21, 709. Victoria, Australia. 17 December 1946. p. 17. Retrieved 23 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "Today's Guide". The Herald (Melbourne). No. 21, 715. Victoria, Australia. 24 December 1946. p. 11. Retrieved 23 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "Today's Guide". The Herald (Melbourne). No. 21, 721. Victoria, Australia. 1 January 1947. p. 11. Retrieved 23 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "Today's Guide". The Herald (Melbourne). No. 21, 732. Victoria, Australia. 14 January 1947. p. 15. Retrieved 23 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "Today's Guide". The Herald (Melbourne). No. 21, 744. Victoria, Australia. 28 January 1947. p. 13. Retrieved 23 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ "Today's Guide". The Herald (Melbourne). No. 21, 909. Victoria, Australia. 9 August 1947. p. 19. Retrieved 23 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ "Today's Guide". The Herald (Melbourne). No. 21, 784. Victoria, Australia. 15 March 1947. p. 17. Retrieved 23 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ "Operatic Role". The Herald (Melbourne). No. 21, 855. Victoria, Australia. 7 June 1947. p. 2. Retrieved 23 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. ^ "Today's Guide". The Herald (Melbourne). No. 21, 867. Victoria, Australia. 21 June 1947. p. 19. Retrieved 23 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ^ "Eric Pearce, Narrator of "Opera for the People"". The Producer (Balaklava). Vol. 40, no. 52. South Australia. 3 July 1947. p. 6. Retrieved 23 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  15. ^ "Starring in Opera for the People". The Herald (Melbourne). No. 21, 890. Victoria, Australia. 18 July 1947. p. 5. Retrieved 23 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. ^ "Today's Guide". The Herald (Melbourne). No. 21, 921. Victoria, Australia. 23 August 1947. p. 24. Retrieved 23 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  17. ^ "Today's Guide". The Herald (Melbourne). No. 21, 912. Victoria, Australia. 13 August 1947. p. 17. Retrieved 23 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. ^ "Baritone Mixes Chess with Music". The Herald (Melbourne). No. 21, 894. Victoria, Australia. 23 July 1947. p. 6. Retrieved 23 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. ^ "Opera for the People: Botanic Gardens Performance". The Advocate (Melbourne). Vol. LXXX, no. 4782. Victoria, Australia. 26 March 1947. p. 26. Retrieved 23 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  20. ^ "Radio Party Drive". The Herald (Melbourne). No. 21, 874. Victoria, Australia. 30 June 1947. p. 12. Retrieved 23 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  21. ^ "£709 for YWCA". The Herald (Melbourne). No. 21, 906. Victoria, Australia. 6 August 1947. p. 6. Retrieved 23 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  22. ^ "Today's Guide". The Herald (Melbourne). No. 21, 908. Victoria, Australia. 8 August 1947. p. 13. Retrieved 23 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  23. ^ Lesley Morris (4 December 1946). ""Opera for the People" May Succeed". The Advocate (Melbourne). Vol. LXXIX, no. 4766. Victoria, Australia. p. 42. Retrieved 23 December 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
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