Ernest E. Johnson, Class of 1949, sent the following recollection into Bison Briefs (December 1992):
"On November 8, 1948, along with several other members of Edwin Booth, I was at Festival Hall to assist in the production of Ezio Pinza's performance at the second Lyceum presentation of the year. Pinza was known as the greatest singer/actor of his generation and as an outstanding operatic baritone. After his classical performance that evening, several of us were planning to have a drink. Out of courtesy we asked Mr. Pinza and his accompanist if they would like a ride downtown to their hotel. To my surprise and delight, they accepted, and accordingly our group piled into my 1936 Ford for the drive down to the Gardner Hotel.
Again, without anticipating a favorable response, but out of courtesy, we asked Mr. Pinza if he'd like to join us for a drink at the bar. Again, to my surprise and delight, he accepted with enthusiasm and the five of us enjoined ourselves in the bar at the Gardner until closing time.
Pinza was a big, strapping man, and far from the image of an effete opera singer. He was also a good drinker and a great companion. During the course of our festivities, Mr. Pinza described his background as a professional bicycle racer in Italy and his six years in the Italian army before entering his operatic career. But of greatest interest to me, was his announcement that at the conclusion of this current concert tour he was going to change his career again and start rehearsal for a new musical comedy to be called 'South Pacific.' Mr. Pinza indicated his excitement and enthusiasm over this new venture and delighted us with several of the songs he would be singing in this musical version of Michener's 'Tales of the South Pacific,' in which he would be staring with Mary Martin.
In the spring 'South Pacific' opened at the Majestic Theatre in New York on April 17, 1959 and was immediately a smash success, winning the New York Drama Critics Circle Award as the best musical comedy of the 1948-49 season. It has continued to be one of the greatest of all musical comedies. I frequently play my original cast tape and think of the night. It was of course, a thrill and one of my fondest memories to have been in on the beginning of 'South Pacific."
(contributed by Jerry Richardson)
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