Stirling Newbury writes:

>Ozawa is more of a disappointment than a disaster, but he is a
>disappointment that seems to be destined to remain in place for a very
>long time.

My feeling on this constantly returning subject is that "the devil
you know is better than the devil you don't." This long time Boston
Symphony subscriber can verify that Ozawa performances can sometimes be
a disappointment.  On the other hand, IMHO he can frequently lead some
soaring experiences that will live a lifetime in my soul.  One such event
happened just last week with a solid performance of Puccini's "Madame
Butterfly." Although the staging had minor flaws, the music was superb.
The entire cast seemed to enjoy the experience and it sounded so.  (I am
not generally an opera fan and usually can be heard making smart-ass
remarks at such performances.) At the conclusion every singer,
instrumentalist and most of the audience seemed genuinely delighted,
judging by the looks on faces including a number of orchestra members
noted for their taciturn demeanors with Seiji.  As for the expectation
that an Ozawa replacement will create definitive performances on every
occasion, I believe such is pure fantasy!  Every conductor has strengths
and weaknesses, especially as documented by the members of this ongoing
dialogue of music fans.

Bernard Gregoire
Hingham, MA