Hi-- Well, the performance was splendid, and the coughs relatively mild;
even the excruciatingly drawn out finale was only rarely punctuated.  I
think MTM is a great Mahler conductor, and has burnished the SFO mightily.
The strings were exquisite, and so was the rest of the orchestra.  One
amusing moment happened at the end of the first movement, when the
latecomers were being seated.  All was almost complete, and MTM was about
to begin, when he realized there was a minor disturbance in the second row.
He turned and those of us near enough to see, saw an ancient white haired
lady who appeared to be in some distress.  I thought perhaps she had become
ill, but no: she had merely taken a near-the-aisle seat that didn't belong
to her.  So everyone waited while she slowly moved from that convenient
seat to the middle of the center section, one row back.  MTM watched with
an indulgent smile, and when she was finally seated, he bowed to her, blew
her a kiss, and went back to work.  Most charming.

dave wolf [log in to unmask]