Music: Orchestra Into Opera

Germany sent two of its favored singers and Manhattan its ablest musical critics. Bouncing early from her White House bed. Mrs. Roosevelt put on a tricorne hat and tippet and also headed for Philadelphia. There the old Academy of Music was jam-packed to the doors. In the box beside Mrs. Roosevelt sat Curtis Bok, the Philadelphia Orchestra's new fair-haired president. Behind them, with Curtis Bok's mother, was Esther Everett Lape, Curtis Bok's secretary. Conspicuously absent was fair-haired Leopold Stokowski.

The Philadelphia Orchestra was experimenting with opera. The players had relinquished the stage...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!