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LA SCALA WEST: The Dallas Opera under Kelly and Rescigno by Ronald L. Davis Southern Methodist Univ. Press, 224 pp. $49.95
Cast out of Chicago by Carol Fox, their erstwhile partner, impresario Lawrence Kelly and conductor Nicola Rescigno set up an opera company of their own in Dallas. To the surprise of many, it turned out that the financial center of Texas, home of Neiman-Marcus, was just itching for an art form with snob appeal and high price tags. The founders' friend, Maria Callas, launched Dallas Civic Opera with a recital. Franco Zeffirelli's first U.S. production, L'Italiana in Algeri with Giulietta Simionato, followed, instantly granting DCO an international reputation: thus La Scala West.
Kelly and Rescigno determined to keep their company Italian-flavored and independent of the Met, then under the thumb of Rudolf Bing; conveniently, their prima donna, Callas, was feuding with Bing at the time. To Dallas she brought Lucia, Traviata and Medea. Within a few years, Sutherland, Vickers, Caballe, Olivero, Berganza and Domingo made U.S. stage debuts in Dallas. Regional opera would never be the same.
Kelly died suddenly in ...