Scott Morrison wrote:

>Walter Meyer says:
>
>>Correct me if I'm mistaken, but I'd heard that Jeffrey Tate was more than
>>merely "handicapped", but actually ill.
>
>He has severe scoliosis, curvature of the spine. Beyond that I don't know.
>
>Probably, in response to an earlier comment about whether he could be in
>the running for the Boston Symphony Orchestra post, I would add that he is
>openly gay, and if I'm not mistaken he has a life partner.  How would that
>play in Boston?

I regret that my experience has not made me sanguine about very many human
attributes.  However, I think back to 1950, when Americans were not simply
not ashamed of their racism and narrow-mindedness, but quite proud of their
attitudes.  A sea-change has overtaken us since then.

There are, perhaps, two issues here.  One is whether Tate would receive
appointment as MD of the BSO.  The other is whether the patrons of the BSO
would accept his appointment.  I would wager that neither his sexuality nor
his physical infirmity would hinder him.  Indeed, the small cohort that
supports a symphony orchestra would be pleased to congratulate itself for
an enlightened position.

One would think that Maestro Levine's rumored characteristic would dwarf
Tate's.

Doug Purl