At the risk of decapitation, should Dr.  Tate take umbrage to my fighting
his battles, I feel some response to the recent thread concerning his
health is necessary.

First, let me make it absolutely clear that I do not know if the Maestro
is ill or not.  I am unaware of any illness and although I am a sometimes
biographer, I would hesitate to ask this very private man such a very
personal question.  It is none of our business unless he wishes to make it
so.  We can trust him to make intelligent decisions relative to his career
and his health; he has been doing so all his life.  Of course, I hope the
rumor is false.  Perhaps encouraging is the fact that in yesterday's mail
I received a copy of his schedule through autumn of 2001.  It was not the
schedule of a man in declining health!

 From the comments in the current thread, I detect an ignorance of the
difference between a disability and an illness.  An illness may certainly
disable someone, but many people who are disabled are not necessarily ill,
though their disabilities may predispose them to some illnesses.  Dr.
Tate's disabilities relate to congenital conditions: spina bifida and
kyphoscoliosis (a multiple curvature of the spine).

Anyone familiar with this man's history knows how surprisingly little
these impediments have slowed his careers -- first as a physician, now as
a conductor.  May I suggest some homework? Read "Walking to the Pavilion"
by David Blum, published in the 30 April 1990 issue of the NEW YORKER
magazine -- still the definitive biography of Jeffrey Tate.  In 1991 I
was privileged to write a biography (unpublished) of Tate for my master's
thesis.  For those listers in England, it is on file as a matter of public
record in the Graduate Centre for Journalism, City University, London,
where you may arrange to go and read it on site.  (Please do not ask me
for copies; as I am unable to accommodate such requests.)

Perhaps I can address the charisma and stamina questions with some personal
observations.  Several years ago I was invited to join Tate at a reception
following a concert.  Although he really shouldn't stand for extended
periods of time, and after conducting a full-length concert, he chose to
stand and greet well-wishers for over an hour.  I, wearing too high heels,
gave out and left while he was still going strong.  Needless to say, I
haven't worn those shoes since!

More recently, this past November while attending his Adelaide RING cycle,
I was invited to join the Maestro and friends for coffee at ten o'clock
one morning at the Art Gallery of South Australia.  This, after he had
conducted RHEINGOLD and WALKURE on consecutive evenings, arrived home the
previous night after midnight, given a telephone interview to the BBC,
eaten his supper and finally gone to bed!  After coffee, Tate led us a
merry chase through the galleries, always half a flight of stairs above or
below us and looking back impatiently as if to ask if we planned to join
him in this lifetime.

But we're not done.  We also visited a special exhibit about Wagner and the
RING.  For a few moments we explored undisturbed, but then someone spoke to
the Maestro, which served as a signal for everyone else to approach him.
Once again, he stood for an hour greeting all comers from all over the
world.  (Such a sad lack of charisma!) Also, we had walked in on a
television crew doing a spot about the exhibit.  Tate had not expected them
and they were equally surprised.  Finally, as he was about to make his
escape, the crew approached him and asked for an on-camera interview, which
he graciously granted.

More about charisma.  My little Webster's dictionary defines the word as
"a special charm or allure that inspires allegiance or devotion." Drop by
Jeffrey Tate's Green Room after a concert sometime, which I often do, and
count the queue of well-wishers and fans.  It's not unusual to stand in
line for 30-40 minutes waiting one's turn for a chat and a handshake.
Also, every time I post an item relating to Dr.  Tate on a mail list, I
receive responses from fans all over the world.

Madeline Jenkins Millard
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
E-mail: <[log in to unmask]>

 [Thanks very much for taking the time to inform us, Madeline.
 I sometimes dispair at the willingness, even eagerness, of some to
 heap opinion on top of supposition and conjecture (to my mind the very
 antithesis of critical thinking).  Nothing like a few facts to change
 the context.  -Dave]