Evening star., 1938-02-13
Writers
CreateOpera
To Order
Simon, Giannini,
Product Due
In Summer.

/1TTOR1o GIANNINI, distin-
" guished young American COM
' poser, and Robert A. Simon
author, critic and librettist,
will collaborate on a radio opera COM
missioned by the Columbia Broad
casting System. Their work will be
precisely 20 minutes and 30 seconds
long in order to insure a practical pro-
duction which can be given in 4 half
hour broadcast. The new radio opera
will be performed at an evening con-
cert broadcast some time during the
coming summer season.
Giannini is one of six Americans
designated by the Second Columbia
Composers Commission to write music
Tor radio. The other five composers
are Quincy Porter, Robert Russell
Bennett, Leo Sowerby, Jerome Moross
and r. Nathaniel Det:.
Robert A. Simon. who is collaborat-
ing with Giannini on the new radio
opera. has distinguished himself in
this f1eld on several occasions. He is
the author of the libretto to Maria
Malibran," an opera with music by
Robert Russell Bennett. With Albert
Stoessel, conductor of the Oratorio
Society, he wrote the libretto for the
production Of "Garrick";; he assisted
IN the preparation of the English ver-
sion OF Smetana's The Bartered
Bride" at the Metropolitan Opera
House, and has written fiction and
articles on music. He is also music
critic of The New Yorker"
Giannini states that while no spe-
cif1c work has been selected as vet,
both men intend to seek a subject in
one OF two categories-either a def
nitely romantic story to be treated
lyrically and lightly. perhaps with an
element of humor and an unusual
twist at the end; or a powerful dra-
matte work, simple and elemental,
rising swiftly to a stirring climax, and
easily understood by the varied groups
of Nationwide radio audience.
Il believe" declared Giannini. that
the union Of strong drama and ex-
pressive music written specifically for
radio offers many opportunities for
development in a field which has
scarcely been explored. The present
times are full of drama, and filled with
action expressing the quick tempo in
which we are living. The radio opera,
whether the subject is new or old, is
admirably adapted for the expression
of this action with great imaginative
power, so that it can in turn fire the
Imagination of the radio listener.
1T is much more difficult to obtain
good subjects for radio than for the
stage, for the ear must make every
thing clear to the imagination and
understanding. But I believe there
is a large radio audience for such
works and many unexplored avenues
for the composers of what one might
term radio music dramas. The appeal
of such works on the airwaves can be
direct. forceful, and compelling in
interest to immense groups of people"
At present Giannini and Simon
are sitting a mass of outstanding short
stories and one-act plays in the
search for suitable subject. Gian-
mini, born in Philadelphia in 1903, is
fellow of the Juilliard Foundation In
New York and the American Academy
in Rome. He distinguished himself
few years ago by winning the Grand
Prix de Rome. He Is already the
composer Of two operas, "Lucedia" and
"The Scarlet Letter." He will sail for
Europe late in May to attend the
premiere Of his opera "The Scarlet
Letter" at Hamburg on June 2.