January 12, 1959-April 26, 1968.
This musical series ran semi regularly for almost ten seasons-sometimes weekly, sometimes biweekly, and sometimes as irregularly scheduled specials. All types of music were presented on the hour series; Donald Voorhees conducted the Bell Telephone Orchestra.
"The Sights And Sounds Of New Orleans" was a SPEICAL broadcast, the thirteenth program exploring the world of fine music.
The sights of New Orleans are a blend of European and American; the sounds of New Orleans are the sounds of music.
We tour the Crescent City, combining views of its landmarks with visits to the places where its music-classical, operatic and Jazz is created.
We are introduced to jazzmen Pete Fountain and Al Hirt as well as some talent that's not so well-known: the Young Tuxedo Brass Band is heard heading a traditional jazz funeral march with "Lead Me, Savior"; the Hard Hats, construction workers play jazz during their lunch hour; and DeDe Pierce sings the Creole song "Eh, La Bas" at Preservation Hall.
New Orleans also has a new symphony orchestra, and its opera company, founded in 1809, is the oldest in North America. Werner Torkanowsky is heard conducting the orchestra in excerpts from Prokofiev's "Romeo and Juliet," and Met soprano Gianna d'Angelo rehearses and performs in the title role of Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor."
Michael Tolan narrates.
NOTE: This broadcasts was presented without commercial interruptions. The sound is pristine.
