SPONSORED BY-

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 138, 12 June 1936, Page 5

SPONSORED BY-

ARTISTS ON RADIO.

RICHARD CROOKS' VIEWS.

opera And advertising,

The great part played by radio, under the sponsored programme system, in making the listening public of America, acquainted with the foremost opera artists ■ of the day was stressed by Mr. Richard Crooks, leading tenor of the Metropolitan Opera Company, New York, for the past five years,'in an interView this morning. Mr. Crooks is a passenger on the Mariposa on his way to Australia where he will undertake a concert tour. Later he will tour New Zealand. Mr. Crooks broadcasts regularly on sponsored programmes, and otjier artists he mentioned who are likewise engaged included Lawrence Tibbett, Nelson Eddy, Lily Pon3 and Martini. "There must be a sponsor in order to present to the public the high-class artists," he said. Rivalry among the various advertising companies to have the best programme —and therefore the biggest listening public —was so keen thai there was tremendous competition for artists. Paid 150,000 Dollars. As emphasising the programmes that Were thus obtained Mr. Crooks mentioned that the Metropolitan Opera Company had been paid 150,000 dollars last season for the broadcast of ten performances. That was in spite of the fact that only the afternoon sessions of the opera could be broadcast, and that thus, owing to. the time factor, the concert would be heard in some States as early as 11 o'clock in the morning. This season the opera company was not being broadcast, but owing to the growing public interest in opera through those broadcasts and through the regular broadcasts of the opera stars it was cn .i°ying one of its best seasons to date. There was no State subsidy for the Metropolitan, and it was thus entirely dependent on subscriptions and private patronage. The artists were very glad

to broadcast under the sponsor system, as under it the advertising was not blatant, and also —they were glad to get the money. Referring to the type of advertising that was used Mr. Crooks said that in a programmefof half an hour two minutes was allowed, with double that time when an hour was occupied. The advertising was not of the direct type, the advertisers realising that it was best to introduce it casually in an interesting talk or in an item jf unusual news value. The name of the firm sponsoring the programme would be introduced casually. Films of Opera. Concerning picturised versions of opera Mr. Crooks was not very hopeful. The opera star was not by training suited to the type of acting required by the film industry and Hollywood, also, still had lessons to learn in the production of pictures in which the music was the major feature. He himself had not tried that field —"I leave my handsomer and thinner colleagues to do that," he said laughingly —"I'm more comfortable, where I am." The idea that the Metropolitan would not give an American artist a chance unless he had proven a success was not supported by Mr. Crooks. • He had been offered contracts five years in succession before he had finally accepted, he said. It could be understood that as most of the star artists of the opera were men and women of 10 and 15 years experience, it was very difficult for a newcomer to break in immediately. He had intended originally to be a concert performer —and he could not claim that he had ever had a very hard time. "Boy Sopranos!" That introduced mention of his career, and elicited the fact that at one time he had been a boy soprano. He confessed with a smile that he could still produce some notes of the boy soprano type —-and told with a reminiscent smile of the time when, at a party held recently, he and Lawrence Tibbett had endeavoured to sing the "Hymn of Praise" in that manner. "We didn't get very far," he said. Mr. Crooks was educated in America, but continued his singing studies in Germany. When he returned to America he sang first in the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church. His debut in grand opera was made in Hambourg in 1927, when he sang the tenor role

in "Tosca." Since then he has sung in most of the capitals of Europe. In passing Mr. Crooks mentioned that be was a keen aviator. He had been a cadet officer and pilot in the American Air Force during the war, though he did not leave America. He had held a commercial license, but owing to the necessity for passing annual physical examinations and for continued flying practice, he had had to relinquish that. Returning again to the stage and the artists, Mr. Crooks mentioned that an Australian, Miss Marjorie Lawrence, had last season made a sensational success in the Metropolitan. Among the younger artists who seemed likely to make famous names for themselves were Misses Josephine Antoine, a coloratura soprano, and Helen Olheim, a mezzosoprano. Both had glorious voices.