>From Willie Waters, Connecticut Opera music director:

   I was one of the lucky people - about 2500 as a matter of fact - who
   witnessed what will surely be Leontyne's last public performance of
   anything anywhere.  At Carnegie Hall on Sunday, Sept 30, she joined
   Jimmy Levine, Yo Yo Ma, and members of the Met's Chamber Ensemble in
   a Concert of Remembrance, dedicated to the victims, survivors and
   rescue workers of "the tragedy."  For those of you who didn't see
   the NY Times ads, etc., it was a free concert, all the artists donated
   their services, tickets were on a first come, first served basis,
   and only available at the box office as of noon on Sunday, for the
   6pm concert.  A good friend stood in line in the cold and rain for
   almost four hours, and got the tickets.

   What can you say?  She only sang two numbers - THIS LITTLE LIGHT
   OF MINE (She changed the words, and sang THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF OURS,
   WE'RE GONNA LET IT SHINE).  OK, so some of the middle register was
   a bit rough, as it has been for years.  But that top was still in
   glorious form - for a 74 year of woman, nay - for a singer of ANY
   age.  She capped it off with a perfectly placed, and long-held high
   B - my perfect pitch still works (and I could see Jimmy's finger
   placement on the keyboard), which shimmered around Carnegie Hall and
   into each of our hearts.  The audience went wild.  Actually, she got
   a standing ovation when she majestically swept onto the stage -
   definitely EN FOOTE - in her black gown and signature matching turban.
   The second number was an a cappella rendition of AMERICA, THE BEAUTIFUL,
   sung with a  bit of over-the-top histrionics, but it made the points.
   In the second chorus, she sustained the word AMERICA and really
   "socked it to" the word BROTHERHOOD!  At the end, she broadened the
   final FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA and capped IT off with a glorious high
   Bb, which she was still holding quite into the thunderous applause
   which ensued.

   The rest of the program was also wonderful - Yo Yo doing his thing
   with Bach, the ensemble doing a brilliant Mozart Piano Quintet, and
   Jimmy did a solo William Bolcom "rag."  Despite all, the evening was
   LPs.  The audience would not let her go. It almost sounded like a
   rock concert - the applause level was so high (no exaggeration!)
   She did NOT sing anything else, just paraded around with Jimmy -
   hugging and kissing and bowing - and enjoying.

   My friend Ron, who got the tickets, commented prophetically: "How
   many times she has walked through those doors (leading to the stage).
   This is surely the last time!"

   Of course, I was in tears at the end.  How many times have we been
   present at a really, truly historical occasion?  And all of you know
   what LP means to me - and to lots of you, too.  All the memories come
   back - my first time hearing her, my first time meeting her, my first
   time working with her; and never forgetting what an impact she had
   on my life in opera - I probably would NOT be in this business had
   I not been knocked off my feet by her voice when I was in tenth grade
   (it was the Aida recording).  For better or for worse, for me, anyway,
   she was - and is - IT.

   This was truly an occasion - and an artist - which I will cherish
   forever.

   Brava, Diva!!!

Janos Gereben/SF
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