Opera is My Hobby Friday 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM One of the longest running shows on American radio, Opera Is My Hobby debuted on Kansas Public Radio (then KANU) in September 1952, during the very first week the station was on the air! Every week, Dr. James Seaver selects recordings from his vast collection of LPs, CDs, 78s and even wax cylinder recordings for programs spotlighting legendary performers of the past, as well as up- and-coming singers. Recent shows have included tributes to tenor Jussi Bjoerling and soprano Elisabeth Schwartzkopf, highlights from the Victor Blue Label recordings from the early 20th-century, plus excerpts from Mozart's The Magic Flute and Johann Strauss's Die Fledermaus.
The artist(s): 5 September: Famous Concerted Numbers in Opera This program will present some of the most famous and popular concerted numbers in opera in chronological order, starting with the finale to Mozart's THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO, starring Elizabeth Schwartzkopp. Then we will hear the celebrated canon "Mir ist so Wunderbar," from Act I of Beethoven's FIDELIO, featuring Christa Ludwig. Next will come the delightful finale to Act I of Rossini's BARBER OF SEVILLE, with Sills, Gedda, and Milnes. Next we will hear Maria Callas in the powerful finale to Bellini's NORMA. The second half of the program will start with the famous sextette from Donizetti's LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR, sung by Caruso and Sembrich, followed by the quartette from Verdi's RIGOLETTO, starring Gigli and Galli-Curci. Our program will conclude with the finale trio from Gounod's FAUST, with Sutherland, Corelli, and Ghiaurov and the wonderful trio from Richard Strauss's DER ROSENKAVALIER, featuring Elizabeth Schwarzkoff, once again with Crista Ludwig and Teresa Stich-Randall.
Engineer(s): Chubias Smith
