Railroad Hour 49 12 05 (062) The Mikado

# The Railroad Hour — "The Mikado"

Picture yourself settling into your favorite chair on a crisp December evening in 1949, the amber dial of your radio glowing softly in the darkened room. As the opening fanfare swells and the conductor's baton falls, you're transported not to the railway yards of America, but to the exotic streets of a Japanese town transformed by Gilbert and Sullivan's satirical genius. This week's presentation of *The Mikado* promises an evening of wit, melody, and theatrical splendor as the Railroad Hour's superb cast breathes new life into the operetta's timeless story of love, duty, and delicious absurdity. The clash of swords, the ache of forbidden romance, the comic machinations of Pooh-Bah—all unfold before you with an orchestra that swells as richly as any Broadway house, yet costs you nothing but the turn of a dial.

For nearly five years, *The Railroad Hour* had distinguished itself among radio's musical offerings by presenting fully-orchestrated adaptations of beloved operettas and musicals, transforming the intimate medium of radio into something as grand and sweeping as any stage production. The show's producers understood that American listeners craved both sophistication and accessibility; they wanted to hear professional singers and lush orchestrations without the expense or effort of attending a concert. By selecting Gilbert and Sullivan classics like *The Mikado*, the program's directors tapped into music already cherished by millions, yet demonstrated that radio could render these works with freshness and theatrical flair that rivaled their original performances.

Join the thousands of devoted listeners who made Tuesday evenings an event in American homes from coast to coast. Tune in and let the melodic genius of Gilbert and Sullivan, performed by the finest radio talent available, remind you why *The Railroad Hour* earned its place among the Golden Age's most beloved programs.