Gift of the Magi

Series
Christmas Special 1969
Air Date
Duration
00:47:35
Episode Description
This program features a production of Don Gillis' opera, "The Gift Of The Magi," based on the O. Henry story of the same name.
Series Description
A special radio program produced at the University of Michigan to celebrate the 1969 Christmas season.
Subject(s)
Creator(s)
Contributors
Klein, Maynard (Conductor)
Berg, James (Performer)
Genre(s)
Geographic Region(s)
regions
Time Period
1961-1970
[00:26 - 00:31]
The gift of the Magi. An opera in one act for Christmas based on a
[00:31 - 00:37]
story by O'Henry with words and music by Don Gillis.
[00:37 - 00:42]
Produced for national educational radio by the University of Michigan Broadcasting Service.
[00:42 - 00:50]
With a gratin aide from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
[00:50 - 00:54]
The gift of the Magi by Don Gillis Maynard Klein
[00:54 - 00:55]
conductor.
[00:55 - 03:47]
Ford.
[03:47 - 03:48]
Was.
[03:48 - 05:31]
It was white.
[05:31 - 06:19]
Want it.
[06:19 - 07:13]
On.
[07:13 - 07:33]
0 0 4 it's.
[07:33 - 07:34]
Christmas.
[07:34 - 07:37]
It was
[07:37 - 07:52]
a.
[07:52 - 08:10]
Man.
[08:10 - 08:11]
You know.
[08:11 - 08:16]
Every time I pick up my copy of old Henry's beautiful
[08:16 - 08:20]
Christmas fable and read it over again.
[08:20 - 08:24]
It's a simple story or a romantic story.
[08:24 - 08:29]
And in a sense deeply religious story too. In so many
[08:29 - 08:34]
words perhaps but along the way you get the idea that Henry's notion
[08:34 - 08:35]
of Christmas.
[08:35 - 08:39]
Was something more than just this.
[08:39 - 08:45]
The Gift of The Magic I explained to New York City in about nineteen hundred
[08:45 - 08:47]
four.
[08:47 - 08:52]
And we saw little Henry's Madge and I aren't used at all.
[08:52 - 08:56]
Instead. They're a very fine young couple he's calling as
[08:56 - 08:59]
Mr. and Mrs. James Dillingham young.
[08:59 - 09:04]
Fella and they lived in a small not too
[09:04 - 09:09]
well furnished flat for you know the kind in the ceiling.
[09:09 - 09:14]
Shabby house rickety chair for the SAG saloon
[09:14 - 09:20]
but it was the best they could do. He worked in an office and twenty dollars a week
[09:20 - 09:25]
was all he made twenty dollars to be stretched very back in those days
[09:25 - 09:27]
either.
[09:27 - 09:31]
But they got along. And though it took all Jim for groceries and
[09:31 - 09:36]
rented a few for. Most of the time they were discouraged
[09:36 - 09:41]
because Jim was a very bright young and the prospects look good.
[09:41 - 09:45]
Della didn't worry too much about her husband's future.
[09:45 - 09:47]
She didn't wish to have a little more money.
[09:47 - 10:00]
Especially given my swimming in.
[10:00 - 10:13]
The mine.
[10:13 - 10:49]
I.
[10:49 - 11:12]
Never.
[11:12 - 11:16]
Knew. Not what.
[11:16 - 11:21]
That's different of course.
[11:21 - 11:32]
What if you have a.
[11:32 - 11:32]
Beautiful
[11:32 - 11:49]
body and this old for years and years and it's made out of.
[11:49 - 11:53]
Times. You really
[11:53 - 12:10]
want.
[12:10 - 12:12]
To be.
[12:12 - 12:20]
You may think you're going to die. And I love. You.
[12:20 - 12:20]
You know.
[12:20 - 12:31]
Seven Mile watch chain.
[12:31 - 12:36]
That's different it seems to me that in order for you to be happy you have
[12:36 - 12:41]
something that will make him happy. Q. What do you want for Christmas.
[12:41 - 12:52]
I've got all I need imaginary feels the same way.
[12:52 - 12:54]
And.
[12:54 - 13:01]
That's that. I'll just listen to me for a moment.
[13:01 - 13:06]
If you really want something really interesting. You can find a way to
[13:06 - 13:12]
get. Into his.
[13:12 - 13:25]
Cottage or just sit there for good on your thinking.
[13:25 - 13:25]
Mind.
[13:25 - 14:02]
Lou.
[14:02 - 15:22]
Still never.
[15:22 - 15:22]
Heard it.
[15:22 - 16:04]
Good. Thing.
[16:04 - 16:58]
I.
[16:58 - 17:58]
Heard.
[17:58 - 17:58]
That.
[17:58 - 19:10]
That's right. Generous.
[19:10 - 19:15]
When she makes her mind up to do something she does it right away. Believe me.
[19:15 - 19:23]
Now what about.
[19:23 - 19:34]
A boy who has every.
[19:34 - 19:47]
Time.
[19:47 - 19:52]
You have a job and you're healthy. Yes when you have a very pretty little
[19:52 - 19:52]
wife.
[19:52 - 20:14]
Oh yes
[20:14 - 20:19]
it is
[20:19 - 20:45]
the.
[20:45 - 20:48]
First Verse.
[20:48 - 21:06]
That's a beautiful one. But it doesn't
[21:06 - 21:19]
work to get your wife.
[21:19 - 21:20]
Understand.
[21:20 - 21:39]
Tell me about it Jim.
[21:39 - 21:39]
Yes.
[21:39 - 22:09]
Yes.
[22:09 - 22:10]
And
[22:10 - 22:37]
there's.
[22:37 - 22:39]
This story.
[22:39 - 23:56]
This.
[23:56 - 24:01]
Is the very best. Use you saw.
[24:01 - 24:07]
She's a girl deserves the finest.
[24:07 - 24:12]
There are worse things than being broke you risk it's what if you were broken didn't have
[24:12 - 24:17]
much to live.
[24:17 - 24:20]
With.
[24:20 - 24:25]
I can see her now. And those in her
[24:25 - 24:30]
head like you know. Where I come
[24:30 - 24:33]
from. Where there's a will.
[24:33 - 24:40]
There's a way. I'll bet the film never ran into
[24:40 - 24:41]
this.
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Well if I were him I think what money I have I didn't get it when I can with it
[24:46 - 24:51]
and I don't write. Yes because Christmas is sure on it's way in the stores.
[24:51 - 24:55]
Oh say what time is it Jim.
[24:55 - 25:02]
What does it say and the one.
[25:02 - 25:12]
Thing.
[25:12 - 25:17]
I suppose we all feel like that especially on Christmas
[25:17 - 25:22]
Eve when we rush out to do that last minute Christmas shopping wondering if we
[25:22 - 25:25]
remembered to add money Uncle Walt.
[25:25 - 25:26]
Rather new.
[25:26 - 25:32]
Merry Christmas to you.
[25:32 - 25:37]
It doesn't make much difference. Well it's the only thing. About
[25:37 - 25:42]
your relatives and friends agree. You're welcome sight
[25:42 - 25:46]
and a Merry Christmas to you too.
[25:46 - 25:51]
Like I was saying. Sometimes I think of yourself so much of the Christmas
[25:51 - 25:53]
spirit around risk.
[25:53 - 25:58]
We don't want to run the rest of you. Well that's all right
[25:58 - 26:03]
Sunny. Merry Christmas. I remember once. That's
[26:03 - 26:07]
another story.
[26:07 - 26:36]
OK what's old Marius.
[26:36 - 26:42]
Might do business money. What do you want. To. Get.
[26:42 - 26:47]
That done. I thought I might. Be exaggerating to
[26:47 - 26:49]
say.
[26:49 - 26:53]
That at times like
[26:53 - 27:01]
Christmas Day.
[27:01 - 27:04]
I'm going. To say.
[27:04 - 27:15]
Let it. Go.
[27:15 - 27:15]
Oh.
[27:15 - 27:21]
I thought it was his money. He. Took it.
[27:21 - 27:26]
To go look at the meat meat meat business now
[27:26 - 27:30]
this hour in the.
[27:30 - 27:33]
Middle seat like
[27:33 - 27:42]
Christmas Day Oh yeah.
[27:42 - 27:47]
But knowing that it was such. A. Thing most of
[27:47 - 27:50]
your time he. Was. There.
[27:50 - 27:56]
You.
[27:56 - 28:01]
Just.
[28:01 - 28:15]
Told us last week.
[28:15 - 28:23]
With this letter. From. This list that you're.
[28:23 - 28:27]
Showing that they. Let me see
[28:27 - 28:28]
you.
[28:28 - 28:49]
This can't be a good thing. It's going to be a.
[28:49 - 28:55]
Christmas nothing.
[28:55 - 29:00]
Like.
[29:00 - 29:07]
Christmas that you're putting.
[29:07 - 29:20]
Something new like a.
[29:20 - 29:21]
Christmas morning.
[29:21 - 29:25]
Good business.
[29:25 - 29:41]
Plan so that.
[29:41 - 30:14]
I am getting a day or.
[30:14 - 30:15]
Night.
[30:15 - 30:21]
To.
[30:21 - 30:26]
See the. Management Company.
[30:26 - 30:30]
That the only thing that hit me that most definitely
[30:30 - 30:35]
things are. Likely. Nothing that. Is listed not
[30:35 - 30:47]
yet.
[30:47 - 30:47]
Mrs..
[30:47 - 31:42]
That's right. I'm the.
[31:42 - 31:50]
One.
[31:50 - 32:09]
With that.
[32:09 - 32:09]
Rule.
[32:09 - 33:06]
Heard.
[33:06 - 33:08]
Her.
[33:08 - 33:57]
Right.
[33:57 - 34:23]
I am
[34:23 - 34:53]
I am.
[34:53 - 34:57]
You see.
[34:57 - 35:33]
I defy.
[35:33 - 35:35]
Anyone ever.
[35:35 - 35:52]
Thank you very much.
[35:52 - 36:02]
Also.
[36:02 - 36:03]
Was.
[36:03 - 36:07]
I was.
[36:07 - 36:18]
Told.
[36:18 - 36:26]
That when it was back for.
[36:26 - 36:33]
A.
[36:33 - 36:38]
Long run. I sold my watch so I could buy the.
[36:38 - 36:54]
New silver watch.
[36:54 - 36:58]
And I let you know something.
[36:58 - 37:16]
We still have each other.
[37:16 - 37:19]
Hand held.
[37:19 - 37:37]
Yes yes.
[37:37 - 38:27]
It was
[38:27 - 38:34]
her.
[38:34 - 41:30]
Oh I get it.
[41:30 - 42:35]
You.
[42:35 - 42:39]
Told me it's
[42:39 - 42:42]
when you get
[42:42 - 42:54]
right.
[42:54 - 44:10]
This.
[44:10 - 44:10]
Is.
[44:10 - 45:36]
You asked.
[45:36 - 47:04]
The gift of the Magi. An opera in one act for Christmas based on a story
[47:04 - 47:08]
by O'Henry with words and music by Don Gillis
[47:08 - 47:14]
produced by the University of Michigan broadcasting service with the aid of a special grant from the
[47:14 - 47:18]
Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Maynard Klein was music
[47:18 - 47:23]
director and conductor soprano soloist was Linda Weston a
[47:23 - 47:28]
male soloist. James Berg the storyteller was John Reed
[47:28 - 47:33]
Kline orchestra and chorus composed of students from the University
[47:33 - 47:38]
of Michigan School of Music. The program coordinator was how one of our recording and
[47:38 - 47:43]
engineering by James McLachlan and Neil Bedford This
[47:43 - 47:47]
is at Burroughs speaking for the national educational radio network.
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