1226 Judy Collins and Folk Music

Last night I experienced a living Legend, the third this year and the first of a trio of folk singers who summoned up my generation. The other legends were Ritchie Havens and Don Mclean and the three original folk singers who came together in Greenwich Village, New York along with Arlo Guthrie and Peter Paul and Mary were of course Bob Dylan and Joan Byes. The legend is Los Angeles born but Colorado raised Judy Collins. I must confess that while I bought the my generation records of Joan Byez and Bob Dylan, I never took to the pure sound of Judy Collins in the same way although whoever I heard her sing on TV usually associated to a visit to the UK. This was a pity because as last night demonstrated, with the maturity that comes from loving and loss, especially the death of her only son, her voice now has an expressive richness and vulnerability which she accompanies with a highly professional, but spontaneous account of her experience which she also delivers with great humour .

It was bitterly cold last night, as I set off earlier than recent instances for live events, in the hope of getting to Smiths for the latest fantasy DVD. The local branch closed at five so I thought I get to Newcastle in time to park the car and go to the central branch as it was late shopping night, alas forgetting the traffic into the city, although it was the cold which led be to abandoning the idea and settling for an exceptionally large helping of exceptionally hot and exceptionally spicy vegetable soup, with a hot roll for an excellent value £2.50. After this I made my way to the music library and internet set run by the local authority Library service, read three magazines about jazz reflecting on how out of touch I was with contemporary artists appearing at various festivals and which proved a jog to listen more to the jazz the great 24 hour jazz digital station which is available through Sky or online, and then when a listening seat became available, by chance the selection included the latest Judy Collins album released earlier the year on the songs of Lennon and McCartney.

As I do on such occasions I review my records, in this instance of Folk music which had continued to be wide ranging and mostly international although I do have a 1950's 1960's era record The Industrial muse which includes the Durham Lockout and a dozen other Miner's tunes, which had been brought out of the cupboard, so to speak because yesterday I commence to write about the industrial heritage aspect of my summer walking, Rivera, ancient purchased bought for 10p from Woolworth along with three 10p or 20p records of Nina Simone is called Songs of the Revolution by a brought together group called the Tolpuddle Martyrs and was brought out in the era of 1960's protest to appeal to the likes of me although the records were sold in the late 1970's early 1980's when vinyl started to go out of fashion, and tapes were the in thing. One of my earliest folk records was the Alan Lomax Blues in he Mississippi night. It was several de I acquire a three volume anthology of African Tribal Music and Dances and a similar volume of Traditional Songs and Dances of Greece although it was in Greece that I bought my first Album by Dora Stratou. I only have vinyl of Farewell Angelina by Joan Byez, Dylan's The Times they are a Changing and Leonard Cohen's songs. Leonard Cohen was discovered and brought to public attention by Judy Collins and last night she sang his Suzanne, My search for Folk tapes revealed a forgotten double recording of Don Mclean live at the Dominion at one end of Tottenham Court Road across the way from the Tube station which was a place which I have regular used over the year as a meeting point for 100 Oxford Street, the former 2is coffee bar in Soho Square, Foyle's and Collets bookshops, and I nearly became a trainee buyer at Heals, the Furniture Store in 19597, when the offer of a job was received in the post after interview and then withdrawn, at a time when I was interviewed as a management trainee in factory making plastic and selling up market cigarette machines in pubs and clubs, interviewed in a bar by a couple of Sloane Rangers. I also have Joan Byes Speaking of Dreams and Recently, the Magic Album and two compilations, one from 1977. The Dylan's is a great compilation of some 45 songs which I also now have on CD. I also have bought CD's of Buffy St Marie, the indigenous American born on the Piapot Cree Reserve in the Qu' Appelle valley. More on this remarkable song writer, singer and educator another time.

Back to the concert where I had a second row seat immediately opposite Judy when she played the piano and sang some of her own compositions at the commencement of the second half. It is perhaps an indication that she has failed to command the longevity of public acclaim of Dylan and Byez as Dylan still plays to Arena's with several thousand seats, I could not get a ticket for Byez in the 1500 seat Hall 1 at the Sage earlier in the year but Judy was consigned to the second 500 seater hall although there was standing customers around the balconies.

The continuing influence of her father was apparent throughout the concert in the way that she spoke of him and his life and it was also evident that she still has positive feelings for Stephen Stills of Crosby Stills and Nash who she mentioned she recently had dinner with, and his life and her grand daughter. However she did not touch on other painful periods of her life but tested audience reaction with references to some of her radical activities mentioned the late sixties anti Vietnam Grosvenor Square demo and her current preoccupation reference to Bring the boys back home brought no audience response. One explanation for the loss of standing in the business that following the suicide of son aged 33 on 1992 she had along period of depression and substance abuse and it was not until 2002 that she was able to talk about the process of recovery in Sanity and Grace (Truth, therapy, Trust, Try, Treat Treasure and Thrive). So last night for me became more than a concert in which to relive past events but it was quickly event that this was a woman who had confronted the truth and overcome the guilt, accepted the need for counselling and the to express emotions, together with the need to for self discipline to avoid or limit the need for drugs of all kinds, including overeating as a means of dealing with loss and pain, the need to take care and control of the body through exercise and meditation, the keeping alive of memories through writing and keeping a journal and being positive, hopeful, open to love and to others and that it is possible to rebuild a life. However as is always the case when one who has been there, or is there encounters another, you recognise the fragility and the precariousness.

1220 U2 at the Customs House South Shields and the Waterbabies

When I woke on Friday November 15th I had no reason to suppose that that would become a special day, the kind that you cannot plan and if you are lucky they will happen when you least expect. I could see that the sun was shining but when I went outside, I was surprised to find that it was pleasantly warm and I did not need to button my coat. I nevertheless took the car as I needed to go to the west side of the city of Sunderland to the Staples office store for some punched pockets. Parking the car at Asda I walked to Smith's for the Daily Mail DVD, the Water Baby's Charles Kingsley tale to bring to public attention the plight of chimney sweeps and other poor and orphaned children forced into labour. I then continued to the Market place already busy with most stall holders fully operational and into Wilkinson's mainly for some glitter glue, and could I find it eventually calling upon an assistant which led to finding that the containers its packaging had been redesigned and the price also reduced, half the cost of those available at Staples. While in the store I bought toothpaste, disposable razors, washing up sponges and some Christmas goodies for me and for presents. I had my haversack but also needed a plastic carrier. At Asda I bought fruit, fresh vegetables, prawns in shell, bread rolls with tops baked with cheese, 12 for £1 and a treat mince pies in puff pastry. It was 12 .30 before returning from Staple's and time for lunch, but this was delayed while I excitedly opened the post because there was not one but two envelopes with a postmark from Scotland which I knew meant possibly two winning sums in the latest Premium Bond Draw, it was nothing spectacular (and which I would not have mentioned it had been) but a welcome one of £50 and the second of £100.

After lunch, Cimbatta rolls with salad and a little Italian Salami, I then remembered it was someone's birthday, and then discovered it has passed, so to make amends I packaged a gift and went off to the post office, deciding to also pay in the two cheques. It had been so pleasant earlier that I walked and I had only proceeded half way down the hill when I encountered a white van, bigger than a transit, with U2 UK on the side facing and a man with a clip board coming over to seeking guidance about the location of Oceans Road, (confusing with the film Oceans Eleven I am guessing) as the address of the small hotel/guesthouse was Ocean Road. Parallel to where we were, and could be viewed down the next road leading down although, the next had to be taken as the first was blocked at the end. The man was disappointed with his Tom Tom but I explained that he might have a super intelligent navigational aide, admitted unlikely, because he was unlikely to find a parking space in Ocean Road itself and would have to park in one of the side streets. Before sending the vehicle on its way I checked that this was a tribute band but it was only as I reached the bottom of the hill that I kicked myself for not asking where they were playing.
It was a very pleasant afternoon with use being made of the outside tables and the seats in the main shopping area. Two middle age women were enjoying a drink, one a glass of white wine, outside the Chase bar, next to the new Beach Bar and it felt good to be alive, commenting about the weather and my premium bond success with the bank cashier and that I also seen two young women dressed as kittens and several others, older school girls in pyjamas. It is Children in need appeal night.

I then thought, 'Why not?' which can be unwise at my age. There is Freedom from and Freedom to. Why not continue the walk down to the Customs House Theatre, restaurant bar cinema and art gallery to see if my hunch was correct that U2 UK were appearing this weekend.

It was a glorious walk to the riverside with the a blinding full sun casting its rays by the next North sea ferry already loading vehicles although its sailing was over an hour away. All the refurbishments and changes at the Custom's House complex have not been completed with the connecting first level walkway to the offices and other facilities in the adjacent building. I can never walk this way now without remember that on my mother's 100th birthday the white stretched limo stopped here while she and the visitors looked at the view and an a care assistant explained about the demolished La Strada which is now an amusing art work

U2 Uk was performing at 7.30 so I bought a ticket for £11.30 concession and booking fee and returned home with a spring in step although a little apprehensive because the poster boasted, the best Tribute band in the UK Loud, Live and in Your Face. What had I done? On my way up the hill the primary school children were going home all dressed in pyjamas and dressing gowns and a neighbour confirmed that it was in aid of the BBC Children in Need programme which raises tens of millions of pounds each year with thousands sponsored events of this nature.

I felt tired so I had a little sleep and watched the Water Babies before a quick evening meal, a glass of red wine, a few olives and a ready made dish of pieces of sausages in pasta. I only had a vague memory of the Water babies story. I knew it was about a boy chimney sweep, but I could not remember anything about the part played by the water babies except that it was sad and that I had believed in such fairy stories for many years and have never recovered since learning that Never Never land was the figment of the human imagination.

The 1978 DVD film is a top notch production with James Mason as Grimes and Bernard Cribbins as his accomplice. An aging David Tomlinson plays the Squire Justice and Billy Whitelaw a multitude of roles, Joan Greenwood the wife of the justice and among the voices in animated sequence are David Jason, Lance Percival and Jon Pertwee. I thought the chase sequence was overlong and there was one brief part of the underwater sequence which some young children might find a little frightening but overall it will be enjoyed by children of all ages although most will not know what a chimney sweep is although I inherited a set of brushes and extension rods with this property.

I am very impressed with the refurbishment of the former customs house which has more comfortable seating than that at, well I cannot think of anywhere with better seating and as was quickly evident it can cope with the full lighting, smoke, visuals and sound requirements of the Tribute Band.

I was at the 1986 Live Aid appearance of U2 which made them Internationally famous and one of the best known and loved bands in the world to this day. Before the concert I already had , October, 1981 with Stranger in a Strange Land, I Fall down, With a Shout; War 1983 with Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Years Day Two hearts beat as one and Surrender, and also in 1983 Under a Blood Red Sky, with I will follow and New Years day and The Unforgettable Fire with Pride, Bad and 4th of July, and after the concert appearance. I also acquired The Joshua Tree 1987 with Where the Streets have no name, I still haven't found what I am looking for, which used to be personal anthem, With or without you, Running to stand still and In God's Country and Zooropa 1993 with, Some days are better than others, and The first time. I had not played the records for a number of years until last year in September I watched a DVD of The Elevation tour Concert at Boston so before this evening I knew the songs and knew something of Bono the performer, although at Live Aid there was only time for two numbers.

It was only after the show that I realised I had seen the lead Paul Collyer, in Stars in Your Eyes. The amazing thing is that the two other members of the band, Simon (Edge) and Ady (Adam) had placed an advertisement to find someone to play Bono 12 months before Paul did so and in the same local paper. Some things are Kismet although I am more inclined to the Peter O'Toole. In Lawrence of Arabia, Nothing is written unless you write it, to which must be add be ready for all the consequences.

My seat was at the end of row E the first of the banking and the first comment is one of shock in that when they said loud, they meant LOUD to the point of nearly being unbearable. One local wag behind me appealed, turn it up, I can't hear, after the first blasting. I understood why the ticket sales assistant had given me the kind of look which said, "Are you sure you wanna do this? Until now I used to think that Elki Brooke at Newcastle City Hall was loud, and the best way to describe the sound is that 50 years ago I experienced for the first time a traditional jazz band in the confines of a small windowless basement. This was the same sound amplified and literally in your face as I sat within feet of one of the banks of amplifiers. The greater part of a row of young people in front of me disappeared to other parts of the auditorium after the interval.

This was physical music, your whole being throbs with it and is summed up with the song about losing control its rock and roll.. My second comment that the band also kept its word about providing a multi media show recreating some of the arena stages effects of U2 tours but when this is achieved in an auditorium seating only 400 including the circle, the effect is more spectacular. However put to one side the volume and the stage effects and you are left with a lead singer and three other musicians. How did they do?

I have experienced live music for 50 years with no one until now competing with Bruce Springsteen, and although his concerts are Marathons he paced himself as he got older with seeing him in Newcastle in the late seventies, Sheffield in the 80.' and Crystal Palace in the 90's. I thought Paul Collyer was brilliant on a level with the greatest of actors who make you believe they are the part they are playing, moreover he rarely takes breath and gives a performance of passionate intensity, supported by three men who if you met them in the street you would not immediately think great rock star musicians, but great they are individually and collectively, and the poster which includes the comment, the UK's greatest tribute band, may not be an exaggeration. I have only experienced a handful of tribute band/ performers before with the Roy Orbison outstanding and memorable, and Dusty Springfield a close second, so I am not in a position to make a judgement.

Tonight the audience remained seated during the first half and had to be coaxed into singing and clapping in time which suited me as the six hours of the Concert for Diana in the summer had found me feeling my age in the second half and welcoming each sitting down film clip. However the prolonged value for money encore, had almost everyone standing and stomping and yelling their heads off. I knew it was going to be a good night when one the young ladies entering my row stumbled and fell into my arms, but that second half and finale of U2 UK was something else. One nice touch is that half the price of seats bought on the day was donated to Children in Need and a Children in Need Teddy bear was auctioned and went for £50. Another is that the band came out to the foyer and said hullo to anyone and everyone who cared to say hullo to them.

Well they must be something critical? Well only a little moan that the official internet site says they were playing tonight in Newcastle. Now if I had decided not to go out this afternoon or left earlier or later by only a matter of seconds or chosen a different route , I would have stayed home and watched the Children in Need Appeal. For once I have to say that something was written for me. More Please.

Talking of auctions, and the dangers of being caught up in the Euphoria of an event there was another memorable Timothy Small performance on Thursday night on BBC 1, playing a cab driver who meets a school friend who has married his school days first lover and gets invited to a charity do which they are attending, where in order to impress the former girlfriend he bids £1400 for a set of autographed snooker balls, money he does not have, goes to work still under the influence and is fined and has his licence taken away and has his cab wrecked by a customer although all this is put into perspective when his wife is suspected of having cancer, but which fortunately is diagnosed as a treatable cyst. Timothy will be the first to admit that his image is not that of a romantic lover or a Don Juan but his performance was more than credible as was that of his wife who could accept anything that had her husband had done if he was able to show he cared for her in a way which she could believe. However I would love to know what a set of autographed snooker balls of all the greats would really fetch at auction. Today we are in the hands of the Israeli's who need to get at least a draw at home to the Russians for us to qualify for the finals of the European cup, and for the Manager to keep his job. Scotland need to beat Italy to get through and both matches are on the telly, although one clashes with the X Factor final. This reminds of the comment heard on the first of my walks about town on Friday, "Howay man, he's always watching that bloody football."

1193 and Mozart

After this combination of mass slaughter and spectacular bravery and self sacrifice I was in the mood for Mozart, and for Mozart live at the Sage. I have waxed enthusiastically before at these buildings within a glass shell on the Gateshead bank of the Tyne with the famous Newcastle Road Bridge to the left and the new Millennium pedestrian and cycle Bridge to the Right where is also located the Baltic Contemporary Art centre, across the an elegant hotel and the Law concerts and an area of night life for adults, the Biggs market is for kids. The outer structure is not beautiful or as iconic the gherkin in the city, although designed by the same architectural firm, but inside it beats anything anywhere especially the Royal festival Hall concert building. First there is the sense of space with outside concourse acting as a veranda deck on which to one side it is possible to hold outdoor concerts and inside the vastness has the cultural impact of any cathedral, except it appear taller and longer and wider. At ground floor you do not immediate gain an impression of height of the concert halls. At the Baltic side entrance and the most popular with its access from the car parks there is the public music centre and library where you can or read anything about music, make enquires or use the banks of internet stations. There and large modern toilets as part of the lower structure of the concert halls, modern type of booking and information centres, and cloakroom.

Between the two halls there is an expensive bar and snack meal facility where although my plain and excellent coffee only cost £1.30 a cup of the more frothy kind and a small glass of wine cost the man before me £5.10. To one side there us an open plan restaurant, expensive but on in the same league as haute and nouvelle restaurant in sky at the Baltic. Unless you wish lose weight or are energetic it is wise to use the vast lifts to gain entry into the first level of the concert halls. That to the upper level of the main Hall appears to be the highest and steepest single stretch stairway have ever seen, but the central stairways are more conventional in stages and here there is also the inside veranda with its bar, and discrete coffee and ice cream. At this level between the two main halls there is a rehearsal, experimental music hall where earlier in the day, there had been a symposium on obstetric anaesthetics.

You still do not get any idea of the nature of Hall two from the entrance, or I made way my way for the second occasion to the second of three seating level designed like the Globe Shakespearean theatre and by coincidence or did I select from a plan got the same seat as before overlooking the stage from the side and with the first seat of the front row. The lighting was a softer red tonight not the glowing red for the Ritchie Havens concert. There first surprise is the depth of hall below, as those entering at the main level go down into the main auditorium which also as two separated levels above its floor. However it is when you look up that the WOW factor hits you because above the third level balcony the space between them and the lighting balcony is about the same as the three levels below and the ceiling soars for some distance above the lighting level. The hall is cylindrical with the stage at one end and only allowing for a single row of seats, with one row of standing overlooking. There are two rows of seat is around the rest of the higher levels with standing option and although the hall is cylindrical the layout of the seating suggest twelve angled sides with those at the side appearing longer than those at the ends. My only criticism is that unamplified voice and sound does not carry well to the heights as it does across the auditorium. My created image is a false one because I have failed to mention that the total seats are around 400 with the consequence of a great intimacy especially for those sitting at the front stalls on the same level and a couple of feet away from the musicians.

And so to the music, A Mozart Flute quartet, a clarinet quintet and a quintet for Piano and winds performed by members of the Northern Sinfonia Chamber Concert. A little irritation is that there was no advance publicity on which pieces were to be played nor was a programme available. However I recognised the Flute quartet in D Major 285 as I have a vinyl recording going back to when I was a very young man, and was able to confirm the numbering from the internet as the first reference was to a recording by Laurel Zucker where both this quartet and those in A and C major can be heard 40 mins of music for free, amazing and to be listened again in full tomorrow. I have the Clarinet concerto although the quintet sounded very similar and this was confirmed when I looked up the played piece and heard and read the notes. Both pieces are written for the bassest clarinet which is about a third longer that the usual because of having four additional. In both pieces the work is distributed amongst the players with the clarinet and the flute primus inter pares. These contrasted from the piano and winds quintet which is ensemble. I did not know the Piano and Wind quintet and had difficulty in getting a free online recording until a You Tube excerpt so picture plus the sound. For this performance and the clarinet I had a direct view of the soloist but for the flute I had to strain as the musician was under my direct view so I relaxed closed my eyes and listened intently. As has been commented about Mozart he is never short of notes which reflects his portrayed (Amadeus) excitable hyperactive nature, which is also reflected in his prolific productivity.

I quickly forgot the potential parking problem as the car park was full on arrival and I risked one of the unused places designated for the disabled. I need not have worried as on exiting they were all occupied by owners who were not displaying certificates and every other conceivable area was also occupied including some on precarious slops. On return I took of the suit suitable for the event and comfortable but I must get another for everyday use leaving for the unexpected special, but like having a crazily organised disorder of a home but a front room to admit visitors who of course never come and I would be put out if they did unexpectedly because of the layer of dust. I was pleasantly relaxed but hungry and resisted the temptation for a bacon roll settling for one with cheese. I was in a better state, almost pleased with my being except that I could not answer the question, what have to done for other's today that will be valued by them?

1189 Don McClean Starry Starry Night and Vincent

By carefully selecting the artists I pay to see, I am rarely disappointed, To-night was a major investment paying £30 to make the journey to Newcastle and sit in an overheated uncomfortable hall with poor acoustics and if you sit close to one side you can hear traffic in the quiet moments. The Civic Hall in Newcastle is best experienced listening to singers or groups with loud bands where you can stand up to avoid cramp or antagonising neighbours in the rest of the row because you want to tap feet and generally get with it. There is an upper tier called the balcony with about 300-400 seats facing the stage and 200 at each side. Here you sit facing the other side and have to hold your body and head angled to view the stage. There is around 2000 seats in all.

My last visit was over five years ago for memorable night with local lad Bryan Ferry and where the televised version of the show is replayed from time to time. Another great night was with Phil Collins who brought a full band and where a programme about Genesis is also being replayed on the new to me Sat channel Mainstreet. One of the few singers watched twice there is Elkie Brooks, who upped the sound volume of her band several dimensions above everyone else.

The ticket promised doors open at 8pm which is a giveaway that the main act could be expected around nine. I had messed up most of my day before arriving early enough to enjoy half a pint of Fosters and a bag of crisp. Some Kentucky type fried chicken and the rest of Monday's tined potatoes and runner beans for a mid morning brunch, a salami sandwich for afternoon tea so I needed the crisps to keep me going before a midnight consumption of a salmon salad prepared for eating before the show, put left as I did not feel like it at the time.

Staying up to 4 am did not help of course with the planned early start to out and sort out my mother's bank account and pay the Funeral Bill, and decided on a new gas cooker. The first task on rising slowly about 10.30 am was to find out how to change my credit card pin number to a common one for all such cards, from the replacement card which had arrived in the post and was immediately activated. I failed to log on and then discovered that although I was on Broadband I could not dial out. The mobile was used first to try and connect with faults but after being told I had to wait on line for at least six mins I took the advice I tried the online system. I explained that all three extensions offered clicking, replace the handset and try again advice, or nothing and the mobile check came up busy. The on line check came up clear and eventually I was telephone and advised to use a couple of phones with the test socket in the master box, which for some extraordinary reason had been fitted at the top of the window and required a step ladder to reach. However this worked but the credit card line was busy and unusually there was no wait for a customer service adviser standby option so this meant I was unsure I would be able to use the card to pay the funeral bill, and by the time all this was done it was lunch time and I needed a siesta after having the cooked meal at midday. So I watched some college football, completed 47 level one games of computer chess before I failed to prevent a draw and had to start all over again. Yesterday I forgot to mention that England won the third and therefore series game against Sri Lanka and Ian Botham was shown receiving his knighthood from the Queen. I remember the day when it rained at Kent, and I sat without realising next his wife in the members stand and he came over to join her when rain held up the game for the greater part of the day, and he then went out a spent an hour signing autographs and talking with any and everyone who queued for his attention. There is nothing Prima Donnaish Sir Ian who regularly walks from Land's End to John O'Groats raising money and awareness for the condition of leukaemia. There are a few who have that aura of greatness about them and who have delivered.

This long preamble is to another of those occasions. At eight the hall was no more than half full and we were pleasant entertained by a young female ballad singer song writer who plugged her album which she offered to autograph if you wished to buy. It was between quarter and ten to nine before a podgy Don McLean came on the stage supported by two guitarists, a mountain man drummer and an a pianist keyboard musician who sometimes played both at the same time.

Don is six years younger than me and most of the audience was for once of our generation, or had grown up with his music, but I did spot one young family which two young children and a few young people, someone with their parents and possibly grand parents. The most boisterous standing up at the side and singing all the songs when invited were in their forties and fifties. While is performance of Crying was not as moving as Orbison, no one can, his version was powerful and demonstrated to hold long notes and phrases without taking a breath, developed in his childhood as a means of combating asthma which kept him off school and listening to music of all kinds. The loss of his father at the age of 15 also had a strong influence on his feelings about life.

His ability to think and write creatively was demonstrated on the night when he could not resist commenting about the railings which surround and spoil the look of the balcony asking if we had a lot of jumpers or was this the British attempt at improving Homeland security. I warmed even more when he asked why all the wars were always fought by young people, barely children. I was tempted to ask if he had read my blog!
While he wrote and played songs from an early age, this was always a sideline as a young man, graduating in 1968 in business administration, but then deciding against a masters scholarship at Columbia when offered a full time engagement.

In 1969 he became more widely known for the love song And I love you so…the book of life, and once the page is read, all but love is dead,,, and hen of course the song of song and which tonight he provided a version which went on and on, using different tempos, singing softly and then rousing many to their feet. Of course you know what I mean, American Pie one of the all time great American Songs along with White Christmas. Is there anyone on the planet who does not have an image of the chevy on the levee. One of the twenty or so verses, I think there are more which sums up the feelings of a young mid Atlantic age goes

And in the street the children screamed

The lovers cried and the poets dreamed

But not a word was spoken

And the church bells were broken
And the three men I admire most

The Father, the son and the Holy Ghost

They caught the last train for the coast

The day the music died in capsulated that rare quality of writing about an event, the death of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Vallens and the Big Bopper, but which expresses feelings which we all have had, in my case the loss of Catholic faith, when the world was never the same afterwards as it had been before.

He finished American Pie and went off to tortuous applause but we all knew this was not the end but I was prepared not hear Vincent, although when he returned the man behind me shouted out Starry Starry Night and this was taken up by three or four others so I could not resist joining in. He then picked up a long arm banjo and one of the guitarists put on straps to play his instrument horizontal so we got a trio of country and western sounds, as we had earlier in the evening bringing images of camp fires with Deep in the Heart of Texas or of western mavericks with the true account of the Billy the Kid, but the he did not let or anyone down with Vincent, Starry Starry night, paint your palette blue and grey, look out on a summer's day with eyes that know the darkness in my soul…they did not listen, they did not know, perhaps they'll listen now……with eyes that watch the world and can't forget, they would not listen they're not listening still, is for me a great hymn to all unrecognised artists of all forms in their own time. Another favourite Castle in the Air, I've got a dream I ant the world to share and castle walls just lead me to despair, is about unrequited love.

Don has toured the world for nearly four decades with half a million New Yorkers listening to their favourites in central park ten years ago so he could be forgiven for doing a professional job for and hour and a half or so for the 1000 or so of us tonight. One quickly forgot his podginess, well look whose talking and all the earlier trivialities of the day and was swept up with image after image of central America, albeit a predominantly white outlook America of mountain men, and prairies cowhands, and college kids of the kind whooping it up at the college game before they went off to war and shed their blood and after just under one hour and three quarters the whole audience rose, not for one more song, but just a heart felt thank for our youth remembered and a memorable evening about which look after I am gone those two children will hopefully be telling their grand kids about their starry starry night.

1123 Tyne River Mouth and Whitley Bay Jazz Festivals

The past couple of days I have messed up by attempting to do too many things, from the assembly of a new TV entertainment centre unit, setting up the inexpensive, but all singing and dancing disk player so that the output was in black and white, to failing to load the multifunction printer to the laptop and now wiping out a couple of hours of writing these notes. I was able to resolve all the self created problems but remembering what I had written is the greater challenge.

The reason for the amount of time devoted to writing these notes is that there were two days of overwhelming new experience from attending only a small part of the Festival of the mouth of the Tyne held between midday Saturday and Sunday evening, last weekend. That is a major admission. I find going over previous experience a challenge and new experience is frequently overwhelming, especially when I mess up. The solution used to involve careful planning and when the opportunity arose, rehearsals, sitting on the toilet trying to work out what questions I might be asked when attending a committee, or thinking about what could happen and what might not, if for example the car broke down while visiting, with others, some distant and deserted corner of a foreign speaking land.

Although it has taken close on seventy years I now act more spontaneously and change mind and try not to make plans. I have abandoned the ritual of going through what's on TV each morning from fear of missing an important repeat programme relevant to my work, or just a programme I would like to see again. The only habit retained, and a good one, is to look out and up when I awake to see if the weather is OK to go out.

I did this last weekend, intending to discover what the opening parade of south bank festival of the Tyne was like. It was bright and the forecast was good, but there was a sharp wind which I hoped would die down. I decided to write a letter which involved taking a position on a local development, something which I had disciplined against doing for two years, but people had been whipped up for political reasons and were wrong, with the consequence that some new jobs, albeit a few new jobs could be lost. I also decided on eating as this was not a day for a picnic or using the over the shoulder bag collapsible armchair. I enjoyed a salmon salad, using one of six tins bought for £1 each after spotting a special offer at the local supermarket the previously evening.

The weekend marked the first of what has become a coordinated series of festivals designed to attract visitors from further afield, involving local authorities who previously competed with each other, opening with the Mouth of the river, which replaced the former North Shields, fish quay weekend, and the South Shields second Sunday of July concert in the Park. Next weekend there begins ten days of concentrated cultural events, many free, a half marathon distance, back up the river banks in Newcastle and Gateshead and then the event which attracts the biggest number of visitors, in the hundreds of thousands each year, the Sunderland air show. The three festivals are attempting to achieve the regeneration of the coastal resorts of Tynemouth, South Shields and Seaburn, Sunderland, and of the river between the city and its mouth, as part of regeneration of local economies, previously based on industry and manufacturing. Last night I watched a programme about two coastal areas of Northumberland where once communities thrived because of the suitability of the area for industrial development but where the land has become agricultural or waste, a prospect for much of the UK as China and other former third world economies become industrial, and energy becomes more controlled by Russia, China, and the Middle East,

In South Tyneside, the Council has already created a marina park at Hebburn where it was once possible to stand up a bank and still be swamped from displaced water when a new tanker was launched, or in Jarrow where new commercial premises have been built offering a river bank setting, while in Shields a new community of homes and small offices had been created from a former dock, and from where oil tanks once dominated, and where the rest of the riverside towards Jarrow is to be developed with a half a billion investment project of housing, commercial premises, and cultural activities, and where the former customs house is now a theatre cinema, art gallery and restaurant. Yesterday it was announced that up to 1000 new jobs are to be created at a call centre, the fourth of a regional based company.

Two years ago I was in the process of moving when the first festival was held, and last year I concentrated on the events south of the Tyne, attending the three stage areas in two adjacent parks and various "street" performances, including the Saturday late night finale involving giant giraffe life creations in a performance art of movement, sound and light which commenced at one end of the sea front and then moved slowly to the other. It had been a gloriously hot day requiring minimum clothing and I had miscalculated the change brought by night, returning home very cold before the fire display although it could be viewed two minutes walk away. I also wanted to visit the traditional jazz stage at Tynemouth where five hours of music was promised on each of the two days.

Despite testing the weather, I misjudged the ferociousness of the wind and found it difficult to stand still on the open part of North Bents Park on Lawe Top as I went to investigate the arrival of a crane over 100 metres high which had appeared from below the hill, in the car park. I also wanted to investigate where Consultants were proposing that the Council approve building into the side of the hill a restaurant and visitors centre for the nearby Arbeia Roman fort, which is hidden from public view by the surrounding terraces of three storey dwellings, although it is possible to see part of the recreated entrance towers from some parts of its neighbourhood. The major controversy fuelled by political interests, sensing a cause to embarrass the Council, was a proposal to build a watch tower with a viewing platform for visitors and which would act as a headland Beacon.

The proposal was unlikely to challenge the present impact of the ruins of Tynemouth Castle and Priory which greet vessels approaching the mouth of the river, unless its height and design was truly spectacular. There are issues about radically changing the nature of the present landscape, about creating an obstruction of view in relation to a few properties, about in traffic flow. But I like the idea and my concept is for the tower to be supported by giant figures of a miner and a shipyard worker on a scale similar to that of the Angel of the North.

After negotiating the attractive new steps down the hill I walked to South Marine Park through the lower level, and more sheltered part, of North Bents to investigate how South Marine was being used. Last year there was a free big top circus but this time there was to be a dozen circus and comedy type acts, some performing at fixed events sites, while others took to the streets. I was tempted but decided against entering an above adult height enclosed site which looked like a maze, and from the subsequently acquired programme, learnt that it was indeed a maze peopled by a family of eccentrics and other strange sights. While some spectators had gathered around what appeared to be children being drilled as Roman centurions, the major crowd was at the new permanent children's safe, but adventuresome playground, and forming a queue for the puff puff train circumnavigating the boating lake of 85 or so swans. There were no performers yet on the main stage in this park. Nor had a performance commenced at the main event stage on the Exhibition park, but at the second stage Te Materae Kapa Haka performed Maori music and dance, one of several overseas groups from India, Norway, France, Brazil, Holland and New York appearing during the weekend.

I was pleased that the installation of Tibetan type prayer flags had been retained from last year with a similar installation on the Tynemouth headland and in the continuing wind these made their own music. It was not pleasant so after half an hour, I went shopping, and returned home to work, then, visiting my mother as planned, returning home, postponing going to the evening events until just before the fireworks.

I decided to leave the house just before 10pm and found that a mixture of locals and visitors were already assembled overlooking a floodlit aerial ballet which explained the crane. The group has made their way from one end of the sea front at Gypsy Green at 8.30, taking over an hour to reach their destination. The spectacle, particularly the second phase to an accompaniment of drums, merited the prolonged applause from those at the car park and those of us at the edge of the hill.

I also can record that the fireworks competed with the New Year extravaganza on the banks of the Thames. The height and size of the rocket bursts was breathtaking and sizzling is what I believe best describes the succession of shooting, twisting, and cascades of gold, sometimes also whistling. Although I had missed the greater part of the day's events but celebrated the summer nevertheless with a bottle of a chilled pink wine, the first such indulgence since a bottle of champagne to mark the 100th birthday of mother, a delicious stir fry of beef, onions, peppers mushrooms and pasta for the evening meal, followed by large portion of top notch sweet deep red cherries from M and S.

I had missed the Jaipur Kawa Contemporary Brass band from India and the French street band of musicians Le Snob Glissendo who play on stilts. Not the only French group on stilts with Les Oiseaux de Lux described as Giant colourful birds complete with their alien riders. I had also wanted to hear the local 21 year old singer songwriter Richard John Thompson. The group Indigo Moss recently featured by Phil Jupitas together with contemporary pop band Mancini, Alumino Rootsa Reggae group from Brazil and Bessie and the Zinc Buckets. Whether it was the wine, the display, or the fireworks, I returned home happy working until two am.

I was still able to make an start on Sunday which opened as a gloriously warm and wind absent day. To celebrate the refurbishment of MacDonald's there was a 2 for 1 voucher in the evening paper, and the place had been packed out the previous afternoon, mainly attracted by the new bright décor and lounge type seating at the front window areas. I had two Mac Chickens and a coffee for under £2 as a Sunday brunch at 11am. I then made my way to the new Ferry landing adjacent to Mill Dam. The Mill and dam are long departed!

There have been ferries crossing the Tyne between South and North Shields since 1377 and up until 1967 when the under river vehicle tunnel was opened about 1100 vehicles a day made the crossing. Work has commenced on clearing the ground for the entrance of the second tunnel, such is the present use with delays at rush hours, or if there is a breakdown.

In the Victorian era paddle steamers made twenty one stops between Newcastle and South Shields, and until the Tyne Tunnel the passenger ferry between Jarrow and Hawdon continued, and it was this route which is featured in the film Get Carter, and where the ugly unused concrete car park which has dominated Gateshead town centre for forty years is about to pulled down

There are still three ferry vessels in service, taking cyclists and foot passengers across the river, usually only one making hourly trips on Sundays, with the second available for hire or public three hours trips to Newcastle and vice versa, or 40 minutes to the harbour entrance, with live music or detailed commentary. On Sunday two ferries provided a continuous service, and free buses then transported to main event sites.

The shuttle bus dropped us off at the closed section of the wide Front street at Tynemouth which has been developed to provide a range of bars and restaurants, and where two performance areas had been created in the roadway. I continued on to find the jazz stage which was located at the small green before approaching the entrance to the Castle and Priory grounds. However it was not the on stage band which caught my attention but the name of the attractive pub restaurant with its panoramic view of the headland and the bay below: The Gibraltar Rock. I was ready for a cold drink and the opportunity was taken to ask the busy bar staff attending customers who had come for their roast meal lunch if anyone knew how the name was chosen. It was evident that this is a regular enquiry, chat up line, for the reply was, "you can see it on a clear day." but I was then told that not everyone realises how ridiculous a reply this is.

With the death of George Melly still in mind. as I work through the curious name dropping autobiography of his wife, I was reminded of another sunny Sunday on a day long jazz boat trip from central London to Margate and back, by an impressive traditional band from Norway, the Jazzin Babies, I think a mixture of fresh faced front men and a more experienced rhythm section. They are exceptional musicians. However I missed part of their second set, because at the interval my attention was diverted to sounds coming from the other side of the Castle walls, and which had attracted a large audience.

This was the find of the festival, the eccentric but talented Jo Bithume Fanfare. The men in evening dress and the ladies exotically dressed in 1930's black and white evening wear, playing German Oomph band instruments from Strauss to Hendrix and everything in between. Two characters sole the show, A tall man whose facial expressions and movements had echoes of the central Mime character of Les Enfants du Paradise, and a deliciously quirky young woman who played the trumpet and various other instruments, danced and mimed. On arrival she, the man and a couple of others were dancing with members of the audience. As with many at the festival they were professional musicians who had developed a riveting entertaining performance. Later I caught the first part of their performance in one of the central roadway performance areas, also taking the opportunity to watch the Barcelona based company La Tal based on a large clock which bursts into life with knights, clowns, battles and passions.

Although a second jazz band was scheduled for mid afternoon I only stayed for a couple of numbers preferring to explore the main performance areas in the grounds of the Castle and Priory with at the first another dance aerial group called Hang-Get knotted which focussed on the realities and extremes of the marriage ceremony, with appropriate music and lyrics. The Main stage at the other end of the grounds has a natural grassed amphitheatre which was full of picnickers, and it took all the projection and presentational skills of the New York singer songwriter Dean Friedman to hold the majority of the audience, and compete with the queues forming at the various food and drink outlets between the two stages, especially when the weather changed clouding over and getting cold, which signalled my time to depart, with the planned intention for visiting my mother earlier than usual, in order to get back to South Bents Park for the headlining main stage closing event performance at six by Courtney Pine. My decision was a good one, not because I attended his performance, but because the rains came.

I also missed the Legendry Billy Mitchell of Lindisfarne with his friends, the Bloackheads, two other headlining performances. The two day free festival featured some ninety listed performances plus ten hours of traditional jazz, involving 30 listed performance individuals or groups, plus unlisted trad bands. I am working hard to be ready for the Newcastle Gateshead festival this weekend

1660 Madam Butterfly at the Grand Metropolitan New York

It is about ten years since I have experienced opera live, making special visit to the Opera House in Leeds for a performance of the Magic Flute. I cannot say that cost has prevented or lack of opportunity as Opera North, based in Leeds, performs regularly at the Theatre Royal in Newcastle and by coincidence the summer programme arrived in the post on Friday for the Theatre, revealing that three works are to be performed in English in June with prices from £35-£50, although in fact none of works appeal.

For the past three months Cineworld cinemas has relayed performances from the Metropolitan Opera House of New York at six pm on a Saturday evening, and when I saw that there was to be a Performance of Madam Butterfly on the weekend of my three score years and ten I decided to book a seat and attend without knowing what to expect from the relay although by coincidence I had seen a full performance of the opera on a satellite TV channel within the past year and switched on the radio earlier in the week as an established artist sang a few lines of “one fine Day” talked a little about the opera and her role and sang a few lines more, it was an auspicious omen.

Although booking six weeks beforehand the available seat was in the first row of auditorium banking with four rows in front after a wide space on the same level. Although not ideal therefore there was plenty of room to stretch legs and with the relay in High Definition there was no strain from the proximity to the screen. All seats were sold.

Before talking about the performance I must mention the nature of the relay where there was a sound connection to the Opera House before visual so one could hear the arrival of the patrons with their combined chatter and orchestra tuning up and then with a couple minutes to we looked on to the stage with a small countdown clock to the lower right hand corner. This was repeated during then two intervals for their middle section of 15 mins, either side of which there were behind the scenes interviews and films related to the opera and others to come and in the planned season for next Winter of nine relays The performance time is about 145 minutes plus the two half an hour intervals.

The short interviews included Cio Cio Patricia Racette, Maria Zifchak as Suzuki, the maid, and Marcello Giordani as Pinkerton and the widow of Mr Minghella as well as excerpts from an interview with Anthony about the production. All this together with subtitles and close ups as well as full stage shots created a memorable theatrical experience to what was an emotionally overwhelming experience because of the depth of acting and singing, the like of which I have not previously encountered.

The Metropolitan Association of New York was formed in 1880 and has become the biggest classical music organisation in the USA with over 200 performances a year. The Present Opera House, created in 1966 has one of the biggest stages and an auditorium with 3800 seats and is one of twelve cultural organisations which form the Lincoln Arts centre for Performing art. Because of the height of the stage it is not possible to show sub title translations as in the practice of many establishments so the solutions has been to create a small screen version before each seat which can be switched on or off and is designed not disturb those in adjacent seats. In addition to English the titles are available in French, Spanish, Italian and German depending on the opera and performance language

Luciano Pavarotti achieved world fame singing at the Met along with Placido Domingo and Renee Flemming who hosted the evening telecast.

Since 1931 it has broadcast a performance live each week and on TV on a regular basis since 1977. In 2006 the Opera commenced the Satellite transmission of live opera four times a week and then HD quality performance to cinemas throughout the world including the UK, the Far East and Australia. Although each production costs $1 million dollars to transmit such as been the interest in the live TV showings that there are more seats sold for these than for live performances at the theatre and the income generated now adds to that of the Opera House. Basic ticket prices range for $10 dollars to $375 for the average performance although up to £650 for a long Wagner, There are handling charges and house maintenance charges to these. It is now possible to listen to radio broadcasts direct for the Met, there is one tonight available on the internet. It is also possible to take out an annual, six monthly or monthly subscription to be able see on line 150 previous productions going back half a century on an unlimited basis, or pay to see individual works, including some of those recently shown on HD.

A major development during my lifetime is the open stage on which the performers are secreted or appear during the second that the auditorium and stage is cast in total darkness. Gone is the solid fire safety “curtain” and swing across curtains. For Butterfly, as the orchestra played an overture, Minghella adopted blackness and then a young dancer/mime artist, representing Butterfly, the young Geisha girl, came down stairs from the back of the theatre to create the illusion of a hill with black clothed and veiled mime artists in attendance unravelling swathes of cloth from around her waist and also introducing the use of puppets, and in particular the use of a puppet to represent the subsequent three year old son of Cio Cio San.

The story of Butterfly is one of the best known of all Opera’s along with Bizet’s Carmen and which because of the Spanish setting was the first to which I was introduced by my birth mother who also introduced to Swan Lake, the Tchaikovsky Ballet.

Originally a short story by John Luther Long in 1898 it was made into a stage play by David Belasco It is understood the core events of the opera took place in Nagasaki in the early 1890’s. The original version of the opera was in two acts and opened at La Scala Milan in 1904. This was not a great success and Puccini re wrote as three acts and continued to make different versions, five in total with the last in 1907. It was first performed in England in 1905 and New York in 1906 in English.

Cio Cio San, is a fifteen year old innocent Japanese Geisha girl in the port city of Nagasaki who has been the older Lieutenant in the USA Navy on a visit, desires her but finds in order to have sexual relations he must agree to a marriage formally arranged by a local marriage broker and the American Consul. He hires a traditional Japanese house overlooking the harbour on a lease and agrees to participating in a wedding ceremony according to Japanese custom and which involves relatives and Geisha girl friends. The house is rented along with servants including a maid Suzuki, who Minghella has turned into the second important role, of even greater significance to Pinkerton.

Unlike the majority of the girls who understand the impact of being a Geisha on the rest of their lives, Suzuki comes from a wealthy family of standing who have fallen on hard time, and waiting in the wings is a young Japanese warrior of good birth wanting to marry her. The American Consul , the marriage broker and Pinkerton are all aware that the wedding ceremony is a façade to enable him to enjoy the experience of the young woman while he is in port, and that whatever he says or promises he has no intention of returning or establishing a permanent relationship. He admits his love em and leave him, a girl in every port, approach, the Consul who warns, from his knowledge of the girl that she is likely to put all her trust in him and take the marriage seriously. Pinkerton notes that the contract can be terminated by him at any time without notice or penalty. To appreciate the situation it is important to appreciate the cultural and language divide between the two, and the role of the Geisha in Japanese society at that time.

A major in ingredient to the first act is that Madam Butterfly as she has become is that in order to adapt and fit into her husband’s life she has gone to the local mission to become a Christian thus alienating herself for her uncle, the Bonze(Buddhist Monk) who is also one of her uncles and from her other relatives. This is where Suzuki quickly becomes her confident, mother figure and ally. Cio Cio San has had some education and on being told that she is as beautiful as a butterfly by Pinkerton she responds from knowledge that some men in the West collect Butterflies destroy Butterflies to which Pinkerton explains that they do pin them so as to stop them flying away.

Minghella has divided the second act into two parts, which the usual way the Opera is presented in order to achieve maximum dramatic effect. In the first part of the second act three years have passed and Butterfly has remained constant in love and expectation that what he said about returning was truthful and she spends time taking note of the arrivals in the port from her vantage point in the hillside. Suzuki is loyal but sceptical and tries to help her to be more realistic especially as their money begins to run out. The marriage broker brings the young warrior who wants to marry her despite the relationship she has had with the American. She sends them both away.

Pinkerton’s ship returns and she is full of expectations and commences to make preparations and the Consul arrives with a letter which queries whether Butterfly remembers him and which goes on to explain that he has married and American girl and therefore will not be in a position to see her. Such is her enthusiasm and expectation that the Consul is unable to explain this, especially when Butterfly introduces him to her son of three years. The consul goes off to inform Pinkerton that he has a mixed race looking son. The two women and the boy sit overlooking the harbour and roadway up the hill for the arrival of the husband, accompanied by the humming chorus. Earlier in the this second part Butterfly has sung one of the most famous if not the most famous, arias of belief and hope, One Fine day “Un Bel di”

In the second part, Butterfly goes to bed having waited up all night and Pinkerton, his wife and the Consul arrive early to speak to the maid in the absence to ask her to break the new to Butterfly. Although devastated and heartbroken for her mistress Suzuki agrees, but when the child is seen and the position changes again with the decision to take the boy with them because of the better life which can be provided. Pinkerton consumed with guilt at what he has done cannot cope with the situation and goes off leaving his wife and the Consul talking with Suzuki but before they can leave Butterfly arrives and immediately senses correctly what is going on. She agrees to hand over the child on condition that Pinkerton comes in person for him. As he approaches she commit suicide using the knife which her father used, “to die with honour.”

The approach of Mr Mingella (who Directed Truly Madly Deeply1990 and won an Oscar for The English Patient 1996, and he Talented Mr Ripley 1999, also Produced Iris 2001, The Quiet American 2005, Michael Clayton 2007 and The Reader in 2008) was to encourage the singers to emphasise the emotional and dramatic, and as a consequence to pare down the set to essentials sot hat the focus is on the singers. This approach meant that those of us watching on screen with the close ups were at an advantage and able to appreciate the emotional involvement and depth of the principal performances. Dwayne Croft, a baritone, has sung 300 performances in twenty productions for the Met was convincing as the diplomat, attempting to ensure Pinkerton understood what he was doing and showing great compassion for the plight of Butterfly. As Pinkerton, the Sicilian born Marcello Giordiani also commanded and impressed for his ability to communicate his role as an irresponsible paedophile who is confronted with the reality of his behaviour and exposed as a coward. Over the past twenty years he has created a repertoire of 40 of the great operas and has performed in the leading opera Houses in the world and in the United States. In 1994 he developed vocal problems which imperilled his career until he re-established himself after retraining his voice. He has sung of 170 performance with the Met.

For me the second outstanding performance of the evening was that of Maria Zifchak, mezzo soprano, who is a winner of the Metropolitan Young Performer award which led to her appearing as Mrs Pinkerton in a previous production of the opera at the Met in 2001. She is known to have played Suzuki for at least the past five and is scheduled to do so again during the rest of this year at other Opera houses in he USA and again in 2010. She communicated brilliantly the role of a servant who becomes a confident, supporter and protector of Butterfly, devastated by the course of the events. The interaction between her performance and the extraordinary Patricia Racette, who has surely now given the most emotional performance of any in the title role. She explained in interview that she gave over her life emotionally to her roles cutting herself off from everyone and she is reportedly known for dismissing those who want to discuss her performances and opera in technical terms, by asking them he question but how does it make you feel. She also joked about the difficulty of playing a girl half an age, when in fact she is 43/44, but all her movements and facial expression were that of such a young woman. In 2002 she made public her sexual orientation, marrying fellow opera diva Beth Clayton in 2005.

There are two other aspects of this extraordinary experience which I need to mention. I had reservations about the use of a puppet for the three year old tried. This was a decision taken early on by Mr Minghella because the use of a child of such a young age has always created a distraction for the singers. The cinema watchers throughout her world were able to see that the puppet was manipulated by three veiled mine artists dressed in black and veiled but in close we could that the showed on their faces the emotions they were attempting to communicate through the puppet. I was won over.

The widow of Anthony Minghella was also interviewed and was invited on stage for the curtain call. Dressed in black herself she added to the emotion of the evening. The curtain call was as stunning as the rest of the production with the performance appearing down the slope looking steps and they moved off stage as suddenly and slowly Madam Butterfly herself appeared, replicating what had happened during the overture and audience in the theatre rose up from their seats to greet her. At the cinema there had been a magnificent stunned silence when the opera ended and everyone stayed in their seats to enjoy the curtain calls. I thought out silence and our awe was more fitting an immediate response to that of the applause and cheers at of he Opera House, although I also thought that having recovered composure with many taking a handkerchief to their faces it would have also been good if we two had give a clap and a cheer where Ms Racette came forward.

I have an inexpensive 2 CD record of the opera and a single Long Play record of Madam Butterfly as well as full recording of Puccini’s Turandot with Placido Domingo and the orchestra conducted by Herbert Von Karajan as well as a recording of Bizet Carmen, as well as compilations of arias ranging from a 2 CD edition of the recordings of Beniamino Gigli to the three tenors and Maria Callas, but I have never previously been moved by an individual work or performance as I was on Saturday evening. I understood why some individuals spend their whole lives trying to capture and then repeat such an experience. It has taken me as close 70 years as is possible and to have done so once is a blessing.