Behind The Ligature
Conversations Dear John, I wanted to say thank you for lunch on Wednesday. That really still means a lot to me! I have a personal situation I need to provide some clarity to. My laundry list of experiences as well as education has been questioned left and right about who, what when where how and why. Putting things into a perspective which is not acknowledged here in Houston ( a personal perception by me), I have enjoyed a wonderful life in the Performing Arts Worldwide as an Independent Contractor, much like the painter one might hire for painting a room in a home. Perhaps a specialist in the Performing Arts so to speak. Hence, picture this, a phone call in New York City…. Jere Hello Lennie Jere J Yes L How are you doing today? Had a great dinner last night at the Russian Tea Room with you. J Thanks Lennie, what can I do for you? L I have a performance coming up 2 weeks from now, are you available? J Let me check…… (Pulling out date book and checking availability), Yes, I’m available, what’s up? L Well, rehearsal is Thursday Evening at Hall 7 to 10 pm and Performance is Saturday at 8 pm Tux and Bow Tie and not that silly thing you wore last time. J (giggling) Ok Lennie, see you there! Bye (getting more coffee and preparing to begin personal practice for the day. Lunch at Mamma Leone’s, 4 dollar lunch buffet and dinner at Tavern on the Green with Jimmy L., more on that later) The caller was Leonard Bernstein and the performance was excerpts from the Bernstein Mass with cast of thousands. The performance venue was Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center and the Gig was a onetime thing, not the recording of it, the life of an Independent Contractor and the misunderstandings surrounding it…. Jere
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