When Ernst Krenek, composer of Jonny spielt auf, (the first jazz-based opera) came to Hollywood, friends mentioned it to Sam Goldwyn, hoping to find him a job. "Never heard of it," snapped the movie mogul. "Well," they lied, "he also wrote Threepenny Opera." "Never heard of that either." "And Rosenkavalier..." Goldwyn brightened. "...and Faust, " they announced, getting carried away, "...oh, and Traviata." "Right, snapped Goldwyn, "bring that Krenek round here pronto. We used a few lousy bars of his Traviata in a picture and his damn lawyer nearly ruined me."
