THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA!

   THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8TH., 2018
      THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

    Welcome to February 8th. Also known
as "Opera Day!"
     Let me begin by saying in the years I
spent as a DJ before switching to news I
never played any operas on the air. The
closest thing would have been the somber
"chamber music" I played the day President
Kennedy was shot.
     It was with great trepidation, therefore,
that I accepted an unusual assignment from
my boss.
      Roy E. Morgan, who owned WILK
Radio at the time, went on the air himself
from time to time to review local stage
plays and musical performances.  His
reviews were carried in the local paper
as well.
       He had already committed to review
at opera at the Item Temple when he
learned he had to be out of town that
evening. Hence my assignment.
       The only thing I knew about opera
was that my brother could sing most
anything from most any opera. Quite
well by the way!
        So I took him along and asked
for his thoughts to help with my own
observations. He was my phantom!
        I learned a lot that evening. I
learned about the amazing ability of
some of the performers to hit notes
many of the rock stars I liked could never
get near!
       I learned there was actually a pretty
darn good story behind the opera we
watched.
      And I learned how to write a review
opera lovers would understand and non
opera lovers could accept.
       I also learned that it was some
executive at the newspaper who wrote
the headline to my review. It read
"The Barber Of Seville Is Presented
With Skill."
       That provided the final lesson.
Write your own headline!
       Hope that review is buried deep
in the archives.......and that all your
NEWS is good!