Austrian tenor Richard Tauber’s (1891-1948) sweet and superbly managed voice, full of musicianship, was especially well suited for the Mozartian tenor roles. Fame came almost instantly for him, and he also gained critical acclaim as both a composer and conductor. He was known to have completed an orchestral suite, two operettas and dozens of art songs.
Sergei Rachmaninov— Third Event in The Town Hall Endowment Series 1931-32
Russian composer, pianist and conductor Sergei Rachmaninov(1873-1943) was noted for his command of the emotional gesture and loyalty to the finer Russian Romanticism inherited from Tchaikovsky and his teachers. His orchestral works include three symphonies, four piano concertos and three symphonic poems.
Fydor Chaliapan— First Event in the Town Hall Endowment Series 1932-33
Assisting artist: John Corigliano, violinist
Widely considered the greatest singing actor of his day Fydor Chaliapan(1873-1938) was largely self-taught and his talents included painting and sculpture as well. As far as his own make-up, costuming and musical and dramatic preparation were concerned, he was a perfectionist and untiring in his attention to the staging of the operas in which he took part.
First Broadcast of America's Town Meeting of the Air
When America's Town Meeting of the Air originally started broadcasts, it was on an experimental basis, but the show quickly became enormously popular. Experts - including a fair share of celebrities - would discuss topical questions, but what really set the show apart was the large amount of audience participation.
Ruth Slenczynska, Eight-Year-Old Pianist The child prodigy who made her debut at age five and was acclaimed by European critics. Ruth Slenczynska’s (1925-) book of memoirs Forbidden Child recounts the troubles of a child prodigy's life.
After being denied an operatic career because of discrimination against African-Americans, Marian Anderson(1897-1993) made her New York debut at The Town Hall. World famous contralto, Ms. Anderson went on to perform on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1939 (after being denied access to Washington's Constitution Hall), and become the first African-American to perform at New York's Metropolitan Opera. Her numerous awards include: The Congressional Gold Medal and the American Freedom Medal.
First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt appeared as Chairman on "America’s Town Meeting of the Air." The topic was “Young America Looks Forward,” with outreach to a wide-variety of high schools and colleges bringing to bring them into the discussion, and solidifying Town Hall’s connection with, and concern for, education of the city’s youth.Legendary
Town Hall has long been a place where musicians make their New York debut. Famed violinist Isaac Stern made his New York debut here in 1937, and returned for another concert in 1939. Stern could perform a concert from memory lasting sixteen hours, as his repertoire included fourteen concertos, fifteen sonatas, and a hundred smaller pieces.
Alice Tully, U.S. singer, music promoter, and philanthropist, for whom the famous Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center is named, performed here at Town Hall. A lifelong patron of the arts, she donated millions of dollars throughout her life, often anonymously. Tully was awarded both the Handel Medallion and The National Medal of the Arts for her contributions to the cultural and artistic climate of New York City.
An Evening with Richard Tauber
Austrian tenor Richard Tauber’s (1891-1948) sweet and superbly managed voice, full of musicianship, was especially well suited for the Mozartian tenor roles. Fame came almost instantly for him, and he also gained critical acclaim as both a composer and conductor. He was known to have completed an orchestral suite, two operettas and dozens of art songs.