Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

June 8, 2019, 5:00 pm

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Publicity photo of American entertainer, Bert Lahr promoting his role as the Cowardly Lion in the 1939 feature film, The Wizard of Oz.

Lions, tigers, and bears are feared by Dorothy and her friends in The Wizard of Oz. This zoological program acknowledges not only lions, tigers, and bears, but also seals, dogs, swans, and more. Among those dropping by the zoo are Marilyn Horne, John McCormack, Kirsten Flagstad, and Peter Pears.

Playlist

“Royal March of the Lion” from The Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns; verses by Ogden Nash
Boston Pops Orchestra; Arthur Fiedler, conductor; Hugh Downs, narrator
(Boston 1961)

“Song to the Seals” by Granville Bantock
John McCormack, tenor; Edwin Schneider, piano
(London 1935. NIMBUS NI 7854)

“Chanson du Tigre” from Paul et Virginie by Victor Massé
Jeanne Gerville-Réache, contralto
(New York 1911. LP: RCA VICTROLA VIC‐1394)

“Now the Great Bear and Pleiades” from Peter Grimes by Benjamin Britten
Peter Pears, tenor; Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; Reginald Goodall, conductor
(London 1948. EMI 7 64729 2)

“En Svane” by Edvard Grieg
Kirsten Flagstad, soprano; London Philharmonia Orchestra; Warwick Braithwaite, conductor
(London 1948. TESTAMENT SBT 1268)

“Walking the Dog” from Shall We Dance by George Gershwin
Katia and Marielle Labèque, pianos
(London 1991. SONY SK 48381)

“Die Nachtigall” by Alexander Alyabyev
Rita Streich, soprano; RIAS Symphonie-Orchester Berlin; Kurt Gaebel, conductor
(Berlin 1955)