METROPOLITAN OPERA BROADCASTS: THE RAKE'S
PROGRESS, ACT III (RADIO)
Summary
Continued from R87:0172. Part three of three. One in
this series of performances by the Metropolitan Opera.
In this program, the Metropolitan Opera performs "The
Rake's Progress" by Igor Stravinsky. In Act III,
Rakewell has left town and a crowd has gathered at his
home for an auction, but his wife, Baba, is infuriated
by the unauthorized sale of her belongings. Anne
arrives, looking once again for Tom. Baba takes pity on
her and tells her that he is still in love with her.
Anne leaves with renewed hope to continue her search.
Scene Two opens in a graveyard, where Shadow and
Rakewell are talking over an open grave. Shadow is
demanding the payment that Tom promised him, but
instead of money, he wants Tom's soul. Terrified, Tom
realizes that his partner is the Devil. Shadow at first
orders Tom to kill himself at the stroke of midnight
with his choice of weapons, including a gun, a rope, and
a knife, but taking pity on the terrified Tom, he
proposes a card game instead -- if Tom can guess the
three cards Nick draws, he will be free; otherwise, he
must kill himself. Tom wins, but before he can escape,
Shadow curses him with insanity. In the final scene,
Tom is in a madhouse dying. Anne finds him, cradles his
him in her arms, and bids him a final goodbye.
(Network affiliation varies; as above, 1945-1958; NBC
Blue, 1931-1943; Blue Network, 1943-1945; CBS,
1958-1960; in syndication, 1960 to the present.)
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: February 14, 1953 2:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:00:00
- COLOR/B&W: N/A
- CATALOG ID: R87:0173
- GENRE: Radio - Music
- SUBJECT HEADING: Operas
- SERIES RUN: ABC - Radio series, 1945-1958
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Igor Stravinsky … Composer
- Fritz Reiner … Conductor
- Kurt Adler … Chorus Master
- Metropolitan Opera Orchestra … Symphony Orchestra
- George Balanchine … Direction (Misc.), Stage Director
- Norman Scott … Cast, Trulove, Singer
- Hilde Gueden … Cast, Anne, Singer
- Eugene Conley … Cast, Tom Rakewell, Singer
- Mack Harrell … Cast, Nick Shadow, Singer
- Martha Lipton … Cast, Mother Goose, Singer
- Blanche Thebom … Cast, Baba the Turk, Singer
- Paul Franke … Cast, Sellem, Singer
- Lawrence Davidson … Cast, Keeper of the madhouse, Singer