THIS DAY BEGAN FOR ME WITH TH RECOMENCEMENT OF THE MEN'S LUNCH -BUNCH, AND IT WAS A GOOD MEETING. THE MATTERS DISCUSSED HAD TO DO WITH AGING, DEATH OF FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES AND COPING. SOUNDS A MITE DEPRESSING AND MORBID, EH,WHAT? BUT WE DO SEEM TO NEED TO DEAL WITH SUCH MATTERS, AND THE GENTLE AND SOMETIMES INSULTING JOSHING THAT GOES ON, SOMETIMES AIMED AT OUR GOOD-NATURED CHAIRMAN, FRED CUBA, BREAKS UP THE SERIOUSNESS. THIS IS PERHAPS ONE OF THE BEST ACTIVITIES OF THE IRP. ONE WOULD BE HARD PUT TO FIND SUCH A FINE GROUP OF MEN SUCH AS THE ONES IN THE LUNCH BUNCH.
THE NEXT THING WAS THE FIRST CLASS MEETING OF THE RISE OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE STUDY GROUP AND IT DIDN'T GO SO WELL, BUT I'M HOPING THE CLASS WILL IMPROVE. IF NOT.............I'M OUT OF THERE. I'M MUCH TOO OLD TO WASTE TIME. IF IT AIN'T FUN, I AIN'T DOIN' IT ----NO MORE OF THAT NONSENCE!
"THE NEXT THING" WAS THE CONCERT OF THE NYPHIL AT LINCOLN CENTER. I MUST
AVER THAT LORIN MAAZEL HAS PROBABLY THE BEST, CLEAREST STICK TECHNIQUE I'VE EVER SEEN. IT'S A MARVEL AND A JOY TO SEE. AND HIS INTERPRETATION ARE RIGHT ON THE MONEY. MY SEAT WAS IN THE SECOND TIER IN A SIDE BOX, BUT O.K.
NOT AS GOOD AS MY REGULAR SEASON SEAT, BUT I'VE SAT ALL OVER AVERY FISHER HALL. AND THE PRICE WAS RIGHT. I SAT WITH SHARON, ARNIE, AND DOLORES.
THE PROGRAM WAS THE OVERTURE TO OBERON OF VON WEBER, MOZART ARIAS, SUNG VERY BEAUTIFULLY BY HEIDI GRANT MURPHY, SOPRANO, AND THE GREAT MAHLER FOURTH SYMPHONY..................AND A FINE PERFORMANCE.
"THE NEXT THING"---WHEN I GOT HOME THERE WAS A CALL FROM RUTH EDGE, A SOPRANO TO WHOM I TAUGHT VOICE IN MY NEW JERSEY DAYS. THAT'S `13\14 YEARS AGO. I WILL CALL HER TOMORROW OR THE NEXT DAY.
ONE OF THESE DAYS, I'LL DO SOME GOOD, DESCRIPTIVE WRITING AND SURPRISE MYSELF AND ANY VICTIM WHO READS IT!!!