STAR OVERNIGHT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18962, 12 March 1936, Page 3

STAR OVERNIGHT

YOUNG AMERICAN TENOR

ARTIST'S ILLNESS HELPED

NEW YORK, Jan. 11

A minor illness of a .Metropolitan Opera star and a series of fortuities won for Joseph Benton to-day a sensational reward for renunciation of a promising medical career and 15 years of voice study.

Thirteen years ago Benton, then 20. refused an 'oiler of a Rhodes Scholarship from ihe University of Oklahoma to accept a. scholarship in music. On Wednesday afternoon, having followed the lure of music for all the intervening 13 years, he sang for the conductors of t'h : .Metropolitan Opera.

Last night he signed a season's contract and to-nighl lie makes his debut in the Metropolitan, apex of opera, as Dcs Orienx in .Massenet's "Manou." Opera authorities said his leap Overnight into feature hilling was unprece dented.

Louis llasscliuaus. conductor, who cast tin; deciding vole for I'.enton's engagement, said his tenor voice is ••marvellous." but chance played an important part in helping the Oklahoma!! over the last harriers to stardom. After his audition on Wednesday. Kenton might have wailed mouths or several seasons before obtaining a Met ropolitail role. Many now famous singers have done so. But yesterday Richard (Yonks, tenor assigned to the role of l)es Orieux for to-night, fell ill and his physician telephoned Mr. Kdward Johnson, Metropolilan manage!, thai he would lie unable to sing At thai moment Benton walked into Mr. Johnson's office to discuss his audition of the previous day. Charles .Kullmaii, the only Metropolitan tenor besides Crooks, was not prepared to sing Des Orieux. Mr. Johnsou looked speculatively at Benton, snapped his lingers, and summoned the conductor. Hasselmans, to hear the young tenor again. Denton fang perhaps two minutes. Mr. Johnson and ITasselmans nodded at each other, mid Benton signed a contract. Since Benton left Oklahoma he has sung as Ouiseppe Benlonelli in Italy, his i.'iiine "hanged under compulsion of Fascist, laws to make him appeal-Italian, and be will he hilled in America as Joseph BenfonelU.