Photo Credit: Karen Almond

The very name of this theatre, The Dallas Opera has a significance which runs extremely deep to anyone and everyone who has followed opera since the post war period. In 1957, civic leaders worked diligently to found a resident opera company in Dallas, including Mr. and Mrs. Henry S. Miller, Jr., Dallas Morning News critic John Rosenfield, and Mr. William A. McKenzie. They approached Mr. Lawrence Kelly, formerly associated with Chicago’s Lyric Theater, about establishing an opera company in Dallas. Mr. Kelly agreed to pursue that goal and the Dallas Civic Opera was chartered in March of 1957. Mr. Kelly named his long-time associate, Maestro Nicola Rescigno, as artistic director. The Dallas Civic Opera opened with an inaugural concert by legendary Greek soprano Maria Callas in November of that year, and a production of what was then a Rossini rarity, The Italian Girl in Algiers. Miss Callas, the woman sometimes referred to as “The Godmother of The Dallas Opera” had a brief, yet complicated, history at the Dallas Opera. Although apocryphal stories continue to circulate about the times Miss Callas sang in Dallas, the amazing thing is that so many of the recollections are supported by fact. It may read like a dramatic libretto, but it’s the plain and simple truth.

Miss Callas was a world-renowned diva when she was approached by her friend Mr. Larry Kelly to help inaugurate a new opera company in Dallas. Mr. Kelly was an enthusiastic, energetic, and personable young man who, along with Maestro Nicola Rescigno and Miss Carol Fox, had formed Lyric Theatre of Chicago in 1954. Two years later, the three found themselves in serious disagreement, and in the ensuing power struggle, Maestro Rescigno, the artistic director, and Mr. Kelly, the business manager, were ousted from their jobs. Approached by several culturally minded Dallasites (chiefly, Henry and Juanita Miller and John Rosenfield of The Dallas Morning News),Mr. Kelly and Mr. Rescigno turned their attentions south, and brought with them the notion of creating a truly world-class opera company unhindered by the notion of “how things used to be done.” The Dallas Civic Opera set up an office in donated space downtown (over a joint that served BBQ) and arranged to perform in the Music Hall at Fair Park, constructed in the mid-1920′s.

Miss Callas rehearses Anna Bolena in Dallas 1957.

Miss Callas arrived in Dallas to the popping of press flashbulbs but only moderate public excitement. Dallas music lovers had halfway expected her to cancel the engagement, as she had done at other prominent U.S. opera houses earlier that season. Half the available tickets were sold, despite a very reasonable price of $8.50 to sit in a prime territory on the orchestra floor. Socialite Elsa Maxwell, fearing an embarrassment of empty seats, purchased $2,000 worth and had them distributed to college students and music teachers. Employees of Neiman-Marcus, Sanger Brothers, and A. Harris and Company were invited to attend free-of-charge, so long as they dressed elegantly for the occasion. Still, at curtain on the evening of November 21, 1957, the hall was one-third empty. Dressed in a gold couture gown from Milan, Miss Callas stepped out onto the stage to perform her opening aria, “Martern aller Arten,” the first Mozart she had ever sung in America. She went on to wow the critics and the crowd with selections from I Puritani, Verdi’s Macbeth, La traviata, and the Mad Scene from Donizetti’s Anna Bolena, for which she had changed into a dramatic black lace sheath and diamond necklace. The event was a smash that put Dallas squarely on the map as a new international cultural destination.

Exclusive photograph courtesy of the Dallas Opera.

Miss Callas returned for the second season opener, La traviata, in what became her last appearance as Violetta, working with the brilliant (and virtually unknown) Franco Zeffirelli. Time magazine stated, “(Callas) held her audience in a kind of a hushed trance.” At the Sunday matinee, 150 folding chairs were added to the back of the house and more than fifty people stood for the entire performance. “La Divina” also performed the title role in Medea. During rehearsals, a falling pillar nearly struck the diva. Miss Callas reportedly was the first to arrive, the last to leave and the hardest-working of a hard-working ensemble. Final dress lasted seven hours, during which Miss Callas sang full-voice less than 24 hours before opening. The rehearsal ended at 2:00 am. After a short night’s sleep, the morning newspapers revealed that Callas had been fired by the Metropolitan Opera in a dispute over casting. That night, Callas gave the performance of her life. “Dallas saw and heard what was probably the greatest operatic performance of recent times,” wrote The New York Herald Tribune, “and has not sung so magnificently in years.” Miss Callas was scheduled to appear in all three productions of the 1959 Season, but in the meantime had begun a very public affair with Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis. Miss Callas flew in the morning of final dress for the season opener, Lucia di Lammermoor, over-tired and under rehearsed. She blamed vocal problems that night on the hordes of media hounding her, but never attempted the role onstage again. Miss Callas withdrew from Il barbiere di Siviglia, in which she had lost interest. Her legal separation from her husband now complete, Miss Callas returned for the revival of Medea and was made an honorary Dallas citizen. It seemed fitting, as some were calling the company “Callas Civic Opera.” Afterwards, the legendary diva departed for a scheduled six-month rest in Paris, promising Dallas her services for the fourth season. That did not happen, although Miss Callas did appear in later years in recital. COMMANDOpera felt it somehow correct to speak so extensively on the relationship between Miss Callas and The Dallas Opera given the artists’ critical early contributions. Certainly I want to thank The Dallas Opera for the use of archival information related to this earliest period of the company.

Photo Credit: Karen Almond 2009 Otello set with the director, Mr. Tim Albery.

Over the years The Dallas Opera certainly did not skimp on talent, or productions, or the money to make it all happen. 1960, the legendary Miss Joan Sutherland makes her American debut in the title role of Handel’s Alcina, making its American premiere, followed by the role of Donna Anna in a new production of Don Giovanni. 1961 Mr. Placido Domingo makes his very first appearance on the U.S. opera stage as Lord Arturo Bucklaw in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, opposite Miss Joan Sutherland. 1962 A new Dallas Civic Opera production of Puccini’s Suor Angelica marks the U.S. debut of costume and scenic designer Mr.Peter J. Hall, who goes on to design more than seventy Dallas Opera productions. By early 1971, the company had chalked up over a million dollars in accumulated debt. That same year, Dallas Civic Opera presented its first German language production, Beethoven’s Fidelio, starring Mr. Jon Vickers and Miss Helga Dernesch in her American debut. Mr. Charles Mackerras conducted, the first-ever guest conductor at DCO. Miss Shirley Verrett sings the title role in La Favorita. Afterwards, the Music Hall at Fair Park is closed, gutted and remodeled.1972 Mr. Alfredo Kraus makes his company debut in the title role of Werther. 1972 American debuts of stage director Mr. John Copley and set designer Mr.Henry Bardon in The Dallas Civic Opera production of Lucia di Lammermoor. 1989 the American farewell to Miss Joan Sutherland in The Merry Widow, conducted by Sir Richard Bonynge. 1989 Miss Ruth Ann Swenson makes her Dallas Opera debut as Norina in Don Pasquale….. and so it continues.

The company which initially offered a repertoire of three performances, has grown significantly to a full calendar season of seven today. Performances today are offered from the brand new Winspear Opera House which forms part of the AT &T Performing Arts Centre. The Winspear has drawn acclaim from international press corps regarding it’s inviting architecture, and most importantly; excellent acoustics. COMMANDOpera has spent a good deal of research time reviewing articles written at the time of the opening (so you won’t have to), and has found opinions to be so consonant in this regard, attendance is a must for this reason alone.

Acoustic testing at the Winspear Opera House.

As a humor article, COMMANDOpera ran this wee story on January the 1st. Something to kick off the New Year with. The good people of Dallas who are serious urbanites, are wise in a way that COMMANDOpera repects; you can’t know your crown until you understand your roots. The Dallas Opera who unabashedly to this day regard Miss Callas as their musical godmother, without question thus oblige themselves to produce the art form of opera at the very highest calibre. A task they give themselves unstintingly and successfully to.