Hi Steff and Derek: The key to the above mentioned article is “the star
says he’ll take off in September for Italy where he will study his operatic
roles several months before trying them out on Europe’s critical
audiences.”

Yes, that’s precisely what he would have needed to do. But would he have
been able to do that while tied to a Hollywood contract? Hardly likely,
even if Betty hadn’t been expecting, since, as Derek pointed out, he would
have been filming The Student Prince until late in the year.  Unless a
special arrangement was reached with MGM, that would leave him with a mere
six months, at best, to study a role and perform it a number of times,
where? In only one opera house? When? Other than in the open air summer
venues the regular opera season in Europe generally lasted from December to
June. I can’t see it happening unless MGM granted him at least a couple of
years off.  

Saluti

Armando