Alfred Hubay was in his final year as Chief Usher for the Metropolitan Opera during the 1960-1961 season and in this episode, he relays many momentous events, including an opening night new but somber production of Nabucco with Cornell MacNeil, Leonie Rysanek and Bonaldo Giaiotti in his Met debut, Rudolf Bing’s policy of admitting late-comers, the debuts of Kerstin Meyer and Jane Rhodes in a revival of Carmen, the debut of Gabriella Tucci in Madama Butterfly and the debut of Eileen Farrell in Alcestis. (Part 1 of 3).
(Recorded 10 March 2012)
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