Opera Wednesday

I'm not quite sure whether this qualifes for Opera Wednesday or Retro TV Friday, but since I have nothing else going right now, Wednesday wins out.

From January 1, 1961, this is a TV Guide Close-Up for the world premiere of Leonard Kastle's seldom-since seen opera Deseret, which tells a story from the life of Brigham Young.  (What do you bet this opera makes a comeback if Mitt Romney wins the Republican nomination next year?)  Frankly, I don't know much more about this production other than what you see here, which is unfortunate inasmuch as Kastle sounds, from this article, to be an interesting composer.  There are no recordings that I could locate, no evidence of the opera having recently been performed.  Without passing judgement, it does seem to me that this is the fate of so many new operas - to be performed once or twice or a handful of times, then to be consigned to the filing cabinet, never again to see the light of day.  With such a backlog as must exist, why do companies insist on spending their scarce funds on more commissions, instead of - oh, say, singers or production values?  ◙