SHAKESPEARE

Alternative title

Romeo and Juliet (Excerpts)

Synopsis

Concert series featuring the Voice of Firestone Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Wilfried Pelletier. Hosted by Hugh James. Roberta Peters, Nicolai Gedda and William Walker sings excerpts from Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet. A live studio recording.

Series

Voice of Firestone, The

Language

French (Standard)

Country

United States

Medium

Television

Technical information

Colour / Sound

Transmission details

10 Feb 1963 at 22:00 (Channel: ABC)

Duration

30 mins

Availability

No archive copy or distributor found (1/2008).

Credits

Director

Lee Tredanari

Writer

Alan Hirshberg; Jules Barbier; Michel Carré

Music

Charles Gounod

Production Design

Romain Johnston

Costume

Michael Travis

Choreographer

Robert Pagent

Contributor

Hugh James

Cast

Nicolai Gedda	Romeo
Roberta Peters	Juliet
William Walker (3)	Mercutio

Additional Details

Theatre company

Voice of Firestone Orchestra and Chorus

Production type

Operas and Musicals

Plays

Romeo and Juliet

Subjects

Drama; Music

Keywords

Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

Notes

General

Sponsored throughout its history by the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, The Voice of Firestone began as a radio offering in December 1928, and transferred to television as an NBC simulcast on 5 September 1949. Long on musical value but often short on television production value, the show was faulted occasionally for its somewhat stilted visual style, its pretentious nature and its garish costume choices. In time, however, the series drew critical praise and a consistent audience of two to three million people per broadcast. [Joel Sternberg. The Museum of Broadcast Communication www.museum.tv]

Mrs. Harvey Firestone was the composer of the program’s opening and closing themes.

Production Company

Name

ABC Television

Sponsor

Name

Firestone Tire and Rubber Company