On this week's edition of Mark Steyn on the Town we mark the sesquicentennial of Bizet's Carmen - plus, from the 1960s, a global blockbuster, and Australians at the Academy Awards. Also: Sinatra sings Oscar winners.
To listen to the programme, simply click here and log-in.
~Thank you for your kind comments about last week's edition. I was delighted to hear from one of our Finnish listeners, Paul Sivakka - from the town of Pori, which I don't really know but I've driven through en route to Oulu:
Hello from Finland !
I was listening to Mark Steyn finishing 08.00 pm Finnish time and yours 06.00 pm. I was so surprised to hear him speaking about Finland and his visit to Finland in a town by name Kemi. What a surprise and he was playing too records of Finnish Music, more surprisingly. One of the tunes wsa by name "Armi" , mr. Olavi Virta was singing, and the other one was a tango, mr. Tapani Kans was singing that one.
Armi was miss Finland , by name Armi Kuusela , and became Miss Universe in fifties in Los Angeles. I would like to express my best thanks to him finding for Finnish music in his program. I was so thrilled about it.
I'm sorry I missed that, Paul. I was thinking of another Miss Finland, Armi Aavikko, who died far too young. Josh Passell, alas, a First Weekend Founding Member of The Mark Steyn Club, is trembling on the brink of Finnophobia:
What the Helsinki's come over you? I'll see your Finnish tango and raise you a Benin mazurka (if I can find one). And all this time I thought a Ruby Murray was Indian food. She could sure sing for her supper!
For persons of a non-Brittanic persuasion, I should explain that Josh is referring to Cockney rhyming slang: a "Ruby" is a curry. Not sure how far you'd get with that on the Whitechapel Road these days, as Cockneys are all but extinct. But David, an Ulster Steyn Clubber, enjoyed our foray into Belfast blockbusters:
Thanks for another great show, Mark and the Ulster connection too!
I'm too young to remember Ruby Murray but Van the Man is an East Belfast icon.
Indeed, he held a wonderful concert about 10 years ago for his 70th birthday on Cyprus Avenue (as in the song) which is, as you probably know, a rather upmarket leafy avenue in East Belfast, happily less than a mile from my home. They shut the road, put a stage at one end and seats up the Avenue. What else do you need? The concert is still available on YouTube, I think!
Van also spoke up against Covid lockdowns and as you know to your cost, attracted the opprobrium of all the 'right-thinking' classes as a result.
Keep up the good work – we are all in your debt!
I'm pleased to say, David, that I've been on Cyprus Avenue, though it's been a while, and that, at one point a couple of years ago, Sir Van and I enjoyed the services of the same KC. Small world and all that.
Mr Bradley, a Steyn Clubber from Oregon, writes:
Bobby Sherman, Van Morrison and Chrissie Hynde can be heard on various classic rock/oldies formats all day and all of the night but there is only one place in the world where we get to listen to them from this part of their careers----right here at On the Town. Another wide ranging and utterly enjoyable hour of music and commentary.
And one more from Nicola Timmerman:
Love the Don't Tango with an Eskimo song. I guess today it would be Don't Do It With An Inuit.
Thanks for all your comments - including the critical ones. On the Town is my weekly music show on Serenade Radio every Saturday at 5pm Greenwich Mean Time - that's 6pm in western and central Europe/12 midday North American Eastern. You can listen from anywhere in the world by clicking the button at top right here.
As you know, I'm a great believer in old-school appointment listening, and love the way Serenade's Saturday schedule flows through the day. However, we appreciate that many potential listeners are, at the appointed hour, shampooing the cat. So, as a bonus for Steyn Club members, we post On the Town at SteynOnline every weekend. You can find all our previous shows here.
We do enjoy your comments on our weekend programming. Steyn Clubbers are welcome to leave them below. For more on The Mark Steyn Club, see here - and don't forget our special Gift Membership.
Mark Steyn on the Town can be heard on Serenade Radio at the following times:
Saturday 5pm London time/12 noon New York
Sunday 5am London time/9pm Los Angeles
Steyn's Song of the Week continues on Sunday, Monday and Thursday at the usual hour.
