Mary Jane Roach Masters Memoir - University of Illinois Springfield

A. That came through Lacey Catron and Carl Lundgren who really just commandeered Florence
Berchtold and me into that. Florence Berchtold remained a patron and wasvery active in it until
the day of her death. She was a real spirit in the Municipal Opera, but for me it was a passing
phase, but I'm happy to have been part of it.
Q. Had you been interested in Opera before that?
A. No, but I'd done a lot of Little Theater as I grew up in St. Louis. I thought it was a great idea
for the community to have an outdoor opera theater, and it was interesting. It was a stimulating
and exciting experience and I would say that Carl Lundgren and Lacey were interesting to work
with. Bright men.
Q. Who was in the Founding Group?
A. I'll try to remember. A man in charge of the radio station before Ollie Keller bought it. I
cannot remember his name. They called him Doc something. I remember the people I've just
mentioned. Mr. Dellert of the paint company was active in it.
Q. What was your first opera?
A. I don't remember. Oh, The Merry Widow. "The Merry Widow". There was this young
woman who was a secretary in a legal office here who had a spirit, a good voice and a certain
joyful spirit who sang it very well. A good starter. Pleasing to everybody. Everybody enjoys The
Merry Widow.
Q. Where was it held?
A. At the site. I think at the Municipal Opera site. We built that with great crates and boxes but
we managed it.
Q. Is it still going on.?
A. Oh, yes. There was a hiatus for a number of years when it did not function and then it was
really re-organized and it has been very successful. I'm very proud of it.
Q. Do they bring in stars or is it local?
A. No, no. It's strictly local.
Q. Well, there are some good voices here in town.
A. Some very good voices. People trained in the arts over and above the number of people when
I first came here who have greatly enriched the cultural life of the community.