Word: merola
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Dates: during 1930-1939
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George W. Stinson, 35. weighing 200 handsome pounds, was brought up in a St. Louis orphanage, became a San Francisco motorcycle policeman in 1926. In 1930 Mine Ernestine Schumann-Heink admired his tenor voice. Four years later San Francisco Opera Director Gaetano Merola took Officer Stinson under his wing, called him a potential Caruso. Sympathetic professionals, including Singers Giovanni Martinelli, Gina Cigna, Kirsten Flagstad, pitched in to send Officer Stinson abroad to study. This week Officer George Stinson, on leave of absence from the California Highway Patrol, sails, with his wife and 16-year-old stepson, for Italy. Said...
...Francisco opening a dapper Italian mounted the conductor's stand proud as Punch, not that he is a great conductor, or that anyone has ever called him one, but because he, Gaetano Merola, could rightfully claim credit for making San Francisco's opera thrive. For his first season (1923) there was not even an adequate stage. Quick to gamble, he spent $20,000 fixing up the old Auditorium, began importing high-priced singers. When that first season ended Impresario Merola went to the hospital with a nervous breakdown. But San Franciscans had liked his performances, wanted more, formed...
...part of its War Memorial program, San Francisco proudly opened the first U. S. civic opera house, equipped even to private quarters for the stage animals. Merola's formula remained the same as at the old Auditorium. He kept the seasons short, used the local symphony orchestra and local choristers, sold out his performances with Big Names. The local backlog became stronger with the foundation of a ballet school with able Adolph Bolm, oldtime Diaghilev dancer, in charge. Last year, spending some $40,000 on scenery alone, the San Francisco Opera produced Wagner's Ring cycle, headed...
Choosing performers shrewdly, presenting many of them (e. g., Jeritza, Lily Pons, Flagstad) when they were hot spot-news has done much to keep up Merola's prestige. But, though imported singers are headlined, home talent has its chance. Last autumn San Franciscans had reason to be proud of Josephine Tumminia (TIME, Dec. 9), a local barber's daughter who will have leading coloratura roles again this season. After La Juive last week critics praised John Howell, a local baritone...
Seemingly unconcerned was Gaetano Merola, the dapper irrepressible Italian who against all odds founded the San Francisco company in 1922. Impresario Merola defined the deficit as an asset, symbol of the scenic equipment which he has been steadily acquiring. While San Franciscans worried over President Alexander's pronouncement, Merola was flitting about Manhattan last week, hearing new singers, considering new contracts...