[Magdalen] Times are a-Changin'

[Cantor03 at aol.com]

In the current issue of the periodical, "Opera News" (Metropolitan  Opera,
NYC USA) there is an extended article about the historical recording
from the 1960's of Bizet's "Carmen" with Leonard Bernstein as  conductor.
He had his own idiosyncrasies in directing the score which are  explored
at depth.
 
There is, though, an historical photo of Lennie and his cohorts  listening
to a play back of the recording they had just made of Carmen.  
 
A whole bunch of them, including Lennie, are smoking.  It is just  a
little shocking, now.
 
It stuck me of the positive changes (at least in the USA) regarding
smoking in public locations (not) during the  intervening years.
 
I've mentioned before bringing up (vestry) placing the Eau Claire
Cathedral and complex into the non-smoking category about 1971.   The
chain smoking Dean and parish secretary at the time nearly died at  the
thought, but the insurance carrier made them go non-smoking within
six months of my vestry suggestion.  Money talks.
 
In any case, I suspect Lennie's smoking was at least a factor in his
eventual demise.  They don't make them like Leonard Bernstein any  more.
 
 
 
David Strang......who was once presented with the piano score of  
Bernstein's
                         "Trouble in Tahiti".  It was the most difficult 
score I had ever
                          seen, and I declined to get involved.  It was a 
fun  production.