Whad'ya Know About Opera?

My guests for the first half of the show this week were publicist/ librettist Margaret ("Maggie") Stearns and conductor Stephen Lord from Opera Theater of St. Louis.
"Sur le greve en feu" ("On the burning sand")	Les Pecheurs de Perles (The Pearl Fishers) (CD 1989)	Choeurs et Orchestre du Capitole de Toulouse/ Michel Plasson	Opera Theater of St. Louis production opens tonight (June 6^th) at 7:00 PM. This opera, which opened on 9/30/1863, launched Bizet's career. The libretto rips off Bellini's Norma (among others) to some extent, with a story set in an exotic locale (Ceylon) that revolves around a consecrated virgin (Leila) who breaks her vows for chastity and risks death.
"Au fond du tempe saint" ("At the back of the holy temple")	Les Pecheurs de Perles (The Pearl Fishers) (CD 1989)	John Aler, Gino Quilco, Choeurs et Orchestre du Capitole de Toulouse/ Michel Plasson	Zurga and Nadir recall when they first set eyes on Leila and were both smitten by her. The Pearl Fishers received only 18 performances at its premiere and wasn't staged again until 1893, after Bizet's death. This version of the aria is the shorter 1893 version; the original is almost twice as long and includes a section in which the two men reaffirm their friendship at great length.
Canzone Araba - Invocazione di Allah	Verdi: Complete Ballet Music (CD 1994)	London Symphony/ Antonio De Almeida	Ballet music added to Act II of Othello at the request of the Academie nationale de Musique for the 1894 Paris premiere of the opera. This has been cut from the OTSL production.
Canzone Greca - Danza	Verdi: Complete Ballet Music (CD 1994)	London Symphony/ Antonio De Almeida
If I Were a Man	Victor/ Victoria (promotional tape, 1999)	Toni Tenille	Tenille is appearing in the title role of this Mancini show at the Fox, June 8 - 13.
Le Jazz Hot	Victor/ Victoria (promotional tape, 1999)	Toni Tenille
Whad'Ya Know? Theme	John Thulin and The Whad'Ya Know? Band (CD 1999)	John Thulin and The Whad'Ya Know? Band
Telephone interview with Michael Feldman, regarding his broadcast of "Whad'ya Know?" from St. Louis on 6/12/99
Dead Animal Carcasses	Michael Feldman, Jim Packard	Why Not? - The Best of Michael Feldman's Whad'Ya Know? (CD 1999)	From the "Thanks for the Memos" segment of the show.

*Acronyms and other mysteries defined:
OC: unless otherwise indicated, the Original Cast recording of a Broadway show, along with the date.
OS: unless otherwise indicated, the Original Soundtrack recording of a film, TV show, etc.

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