Descriptive Summary
Access
Publication Rights
Preferred Citation
Acquisition Information
Scope and Content of Collection
Arrangement
Indexing Terms
Descriptive Summary
Title: Opera Air Check Recordings collection
Dates: 1937-1956
Collection number: PA Mss 91
Collector:
University of California, Santa Barbara. Archive of Recorded Vocal Music
Collection Size:
4 linear feet
(350 record discs).
Repository:
University of California, Santa Barbara. Library.
Dept. of Special Collections
Abstract: 350 instantaneous disc air check recordings of mostly Metropolitan and San Francisco Opera live performance broadcasts (in
addition to other, unnamed orchestras) from 1937 to 1956. Because the provenance of these discs is not known, they have been
retained, though duplicate recordings of these performances may be held elsewhere.
Physical location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Access
Use governed by UCSB Special Collections policy.
Publication Rights
Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Collections, UCSB. All requests for permission to publish or
quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given
on behalf of the Department of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply
permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained.
Preferred Citation
Opera Air Check Recordings collection. PA Mss 91, Department of Special Collections, University Libraries, University of California,
Santa Barbara.
Acquisition Information
Provenance unknown
Scope and Content of Collection
The Opera Air Check Recordings collection comprises air checks of mostly Metropolitan and San Francisco Opera live perfomance
broadcasts on recorded instantaneous discs, from 1937 to 1956, in addition to other unnamed orchestras from the same time
period. Some of the conductors represented in these recordings include Bruno Walter, Arturo Toscanini, and Sir Thomas Beecham.
Singers include Lauritz Melchior, Ezio Pinza, Jan Peerce, Lily Pons, Licia Albanese, Ljuba Welitsch, Zinka Milanov, among
others. Many of these broadcasts were sponsored by the Texas Company (Texaco) and carried on the Blue Network, with announcements
and commentary by Milton Cross.
Arrangement
The collection has been divided into the following series: I. Metropolitan Opera broadcasts, II. San Francisco Opera broadcasts,
III. Miscellaneous broadcasts, IV. Sponsored broadcasts (not Texaco), V. Re-recordings.
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Operas--Excerpts
Albanese, Licia.
Beecham, Thomas, Sir,1879-1961.
Cross, Milton, 1897-1975.
Melchior, Lauritz.
Milanov, Zinka.
Peerce, Jan, 1904-1984
Pinza, Ezio.
Pons, Lily, 1898-1976.
Welitsch, Ljuba.
Toscanini, Arturo, 1867-1957.
Walter, Bruno,1876-1962.
Metropolitan Opera (New York, N.Y.).
San Francisco Opera.
Texas Company.