Station Archive

Rossini's overture to his opera "Semiramide" raises the curtain on today's show. "Semiramide" is the story of betrayal and murder that takes place in ancient Babylon. One of the main characters is the high priest of the temple of their god, Baal. Today's show features more conjurer's tricks with Dukas' The "Sorcerer's Apprentice." Mirella Freni, the Italian soprano born in the same year (1935) and city (Modena, Italy) as Pavarotti, sings a magical duet in concert with this famous and popular tenor. Further, Freni works her magic with one of Bellini's most heart-wrenching arias from "I Puritani". Also included today are some mystical musical offerings from Africa as played by The Kronos Quartet. To complete the program, Dr. Paul has included a concerto for fortepiano by Boccherini, a darkly beautiful concerto for viola by the Bohemian composer Vanhal, and some pieces for two pianos by Darius Milhaud that necessitates much sleight of hand.

Today’s guest is Robert Luke, 84, one of the approximately 1,550 men imprisoned at Alcatraz during its 29 years as a federal prison near San Francisco from 1934 to 1963. Not many are still alive. Alcatraz, now part of the National Park System, is legendary. Difficult prisoners were sent there. Books, TV programs and movies have been created about Alcatraz--Fox recently launched a new fictional TV show set there--and tours of the island often sell out. Since Luke’s release he has been a waiter in San Francisco, helped manage a resort, installed draperies, and worked as a marshal on a golf course, among other jobs. In 2011 he wrote a book, “Entombed in Alcatraz,” from which these photos are taken. And in January 2012, he came to Davis to speak about life in Alcatraz to the campus Entomology Club. To learn his Davis connection--and to hear him describe his five years at Alcatraz--listen in.