Julia Werthimer wrote:

>I also remember talking to a member of the San Francisco Opera Orchestra
>after a particularly good performance: he didn't remember who the conductor
>was or the names of the principal singers! In fact I wondered if he even
>recalled the name of the opera...

Thanks for the support, Julia.  That reminds me of a joke, perhaps others
on the list have heard it before:

It's the dress rehearsal before opening night of the new opera production.
Suddenly the conductor takes ill and has to leave the theater.  The
manager, desperate, asks the orchestra if anyone is familiar with the work
and could conduct the performance.  A violist in the back of the section
raises his hand, takes the baton, and conducts brilliantly, gets rave
reviews and proceeds to conduct the entire run of the opera.

Later, with a new production, the violist returns to his seat, whereupon
his stand partner says:  "Hey, where have you been lately?"

Dave Runnion
www.serafinotrio.com