Harvard Radio Takes on Met Opera

WHRB-FM, 95.3, has secured the contract of a historic and recently controversial opera program, which will become the Harvard station's top priority.

Beginning Dec. 4, Harvard will air the New York Metropolitan Opera's live radio broadcast, a tradition on the airwaves since 1931.

The decision to air the Met Opera comes just a few months after Boston's premier classical music station, WCRB-FM, 102.5, ended its 60-year broadcast of the program because of increasing financial difficulties and creative differences with the Met.

But Alexandra J. McCormack '00, president of WHRB, is enthusiastic about the move, saying the high-profile show is bringing some improvements to the independent station, located in the basement of Pennypacker Hall.

WHRB is installing an ISDN line to receive the digital transmission directly from the Met, for which the opera house will foot the bill. The station must learn the intricacies of the new satellite system before the first broadcast in two months.

"We're doing everything we can to make this as good as it deserves to be," McCormack said.

The opera broadcast, McCormack believes, is also responsible for an influx of 100 compers at the semester's first meeting--about double the size of last year's turnout and almost the size of the current WHRB membership.

Donations from Boston residents are also up, as enthusiastic listeners try to ensure that the station has the financial means to continue its broadcast.

While McCormack said WHRB listeners are "gushing with gratitude" over the station's decision, William W. Campbell, CEO of Charles River Broadcasting, has received "death threats" over his decision to end his station's broadcast of the Met Opera.

He defends his decision, however, saying it was next to impossible to work with the Met, who "would negotiate nothing."

Pamela Rasp, labor operations director for the Metropolitan Opera, dismissed Campbell's complaints.

"Naturally, the Met and Texaco are disappointed that WCRB decided not to carry us any longer, but we are absolutely delighted that WHRB has decided to carry us," Rasp said. "We think the Met is a good fit with the other programming on WHRB."

According to McCormack, the Met approached WHRB after WGBH-FM, 89.7, Boston's public radio station, declined the broadcast due to previously scheduled programming for the Saturday afternoon time slot.

The Met has also contracted with the Beverly-based WBOQ-FM, 104.9, to air the opera broadcasts and is currently looking for other carriers in Western Massachusetts and on the Cape because of WHRB's limited range.

WHRB also airs recordings from the Cleveland and Chicago Symphony Orchestras and has its own "Sunday Night at the Opera" program from 8 p.m. until midnight on Sunday.

While the Sunday program concentrates on lesser known works, the Met Opera program, which airs Saturday afternoons beginning either at 12:30 or 1:30, usually focuses on "opera favorites."

McCormack isn't worried about the programming competition.

"Ideally, listeners will be able to indulge in both of them," she said.