DIARY

Had a great reunion dinner with Greg Jbara last night. He told me that his webmaster called him and said she knew he was having dinner with me. He said my Blog goes to google and it came up as google news on his google alert. Wow! Better be careful what I say.

We met on the train and went downtown but couldn't get into the place he wanted to try. So we continued walking through little Italy but nothing struck our fancy. But we kept chatting the whole time. He told me all about Billy Eliiott which sounds exciting for him! Clearly an amazing part and I'm thrilled he's in it! And of course, Stephen Daldry is amazing! Machinal! Wow. We ended up eating at the Chelsea Cookbook. So good.

He was incredibly supportive about DR. T. Feels it's on the right track artistically, which of course, I know it is. Always loved the piece. Not surprised it finally may get on. I told him all about Brian's death. Which is a whole separate article unto itself. But again, he was so supportive.

Today I sent off the libretto to London. And started on the Milton song. I get the first bit which will represent God's expulsion. I couldn't quite figure out the time signatures. Even with finale playing it back to me. But i'm close enough for now. (There's a missing 16 note somewhere!)

Then I had a very nice meeting with the animation company that Peter Schneider set me up with for the Bunny. They were very positive about the piece and seems like they want to move forward. So off to the rights issue. We decided that they'll send me a package describing who they are and I'll forward it all to Harper's. Let's hope.

Tonight is Hamlet which I'm excited about.

Ray Colcord called and told me Alex is coming to NYC to look for a job and work and live. I'll try and help. He said he would help with some Grammy voters. So everyone wins. I plan to be VERY aggressive with my campaign.

A little ps to the convention: no one mentioned the Clinton/Biden face work. I guess I've spent too much time in Bev Hills cause I'll could see were their face lift scars. Good work, but work nonetheless. I wonder who did it? Harry Glassman?

Diary: Milton

Billy came over today and started re-plastering and painting the second bathroom. Now THAT'S an entry.

I did some block time with Myles and helped Janice with some decorating and feeding.

Meeting with the animation company (http://auryn.com/index.php) was pushed back to tomorrow. Fine.

I finished TEETH today, which I think is very good. And I'll start another very soon. Probably something weighty for a change of pace. Probably:
The Expulsion from Eden

In either hand the hast`ning angel caught
Our ling`ring parents, and to th` eastern gate
Led them direct, and down the cliff as fast
To the subjected plain: then dissapeared.
They looking back, all th` eastern side beheld
Of Paradise, so late their happy seat,
Waved over by that flaming brand, the gate
With dreadful faces thronged and firey arms:
Some natural tears they dropped, but wiped them soon;
The world was all before them, where to choose
Their place of rest, and Providence their guide:
They hand in hand with wand`ring steps and slow,
Through Eden took their solitary way.
John Milton (1608 - 74)

I also finished printing out ALL FOUR COPIES of the MOZART LIBRETTOS! The printing and proofing was almost as hard as the writing but not nearly as fun. Although I must say even though I moan about it, I kinda like the arts and craft projects. I guess I should learn a bit of photoshop so I can do it without the cut and pasting. I'll ask Brett for some more barter time! (Unless he's reading this, then he can tell me directly if he's up for it.)

Tomorrow I'll do a double proof of the page numbering and then send it off to London for the binding.

Hamlet got a rave in the Times today so I'll go see it tomorrow. Can't argue with raves in the Times, huh?

Saw the Convention last night. Great speech by Clinton, great catch phrases. And I couldn't really tell what the music was. It sounded sort of like records, but then there were instrumental breaks that weren't on the tracks. Turns out it was about a 10 piece local band. Terrific. Great sound. And even Wolf B mentioned them. I wouldn't have done it as well. So I guess they made the right choice. Let's hope there's still a chance for me getting the inauguration. And if not, I did the last 4. A pretty good run.

Off to dinner with Greg Jbara tonight.

DIARY: John Miller

Had a nice lunch with John Miller today. I'm going to write an interview with him about his new album of B'way tunes. I loved this album and enjoyed hearing the stories. (All taped on my Treo.) I'll write up the interview by the weekend and send it out. I can definitely get it posted on Broadwayworld. com. Let's see if John's pr people will send it out somewhere else.

Went to the gym today. First time in months and months. I believe this is probably the longest I've gone without going to the gym in 25 years of going! I wonder if that's because because I was so busy during the Carneige/Norman time? And I'm sure the post Norman depression contributed. But I went today and did a half hour on the bike proofing the LIBRETTO lyrics.

I finished the proofing and am almost done printing. I will ship the manuscripts to London by the weekend I'm sure. I'm so proud of this work.

Tomorrow is the phone call from Peter Schneider's friends. Looking forward to that.

I didn't finish TEETH but I will tomorrow.

Just finished watching the convention. Boy was Clinton great. So was Biden and Beau Biden, his son.

Diary: Interesting things?

A couple of interesting things happened. Nothing major, but maybe a couple of little things could coalesce and turn into something good.

First good news: I finished HE WISHES FOR HIS CLOTHES OF HEAVEN. I've been wanting to write that for a while. Maybe years. And finally did. It will be a song in the Cycle called SONGS FROM THE UNDERGROUND. It's based on the Book, and of course the poems, that were displayed in the London Underground while I was there. Glenn inspired me to sit back down and work. Or maybe it was just time. I even started a new one today. It will be a light, airy thing. And it's almost done!


Teeth

English Teeth, English Teeth!
Shining in the sun
A part of British heritage
Aye, each and every one.

English Teeth, Happy Teeth!
Always having fun
Clamping down on bits of fish
And sausages half done.

English Teeth! HEROES' Teeth!
Hear them click! and clack!
Let's sing a song of praise to them -
Three Cheers for the Brown Grey and Black.

Other stuff: I was able to get to Tomy dePaolo about a book of his that I think can be an opera for kids. I've tried, again for years, without any luck. But Leonard Marcus, who wrote the bio of Margaret WB knew the women who wrote the bio of TP and she contacted him for me and within minutes I got a call from his assistant. He asked to see the DVD of the Bunny, so I explained what it was, and sent it along. At least if I get turned down, I will have gotten turned down by the author. There may be a rights issue (I think the GMC did a piece on it) but it shouldn't hurt the Grand Rights. We'll see. Just the contact it good for me.

And being able to focus on writing something even in the future is a step out of bed.

Diary

Interesting day. The interview went well with St. Louis. Hopefully someone from the symphony heard it. The DJ went on and on about the piece so that was nice.

I don't know if Glenn inspired me, or if hearing and playing through my serious music did the trick, or maybe it was just time, but I started writing, I started setting one of my favorite poems and got a lot done. Here's the poem. Pretty obvious why I like it so much:

Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half-light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread upon my dreams.

And then an idea I had for a opera sort of focused in. I actually feel I'd have the strength to write it. I called Maria and she was interested. So who knows. It would be a public domain rights property although there is some research I can do through books. So I ordered something on Amazon to have a look.

Diary: Glenn Seven Allen

Met an AMAZING singer a few weeks ago, Glenn Seven Allen. Two "n's"! He was in a show at the fringe and really knocked me out. I met him at the party and told him about my Mozart translations. He was obviously a classically trained guy so he responded. He came over yesterday, and man, what a singer. He asked if I had some concert pieces for Tenor. I almost forgot about my Shakespeare song cycle I wrote in London. The plan was a song from all 38 of the plays to be divided up between Tenor, Baritone, Soprano, Duets. I finished the first 10 for tenor. I played through a couple of them before Glenn came over, and I had forgotten how good they were. I wrote them during my Britten phase but they still sound like me. And then I played through Michael's Letter to Mama. Also pleased with that. So, despite the depression, at least there's a body of work. And wouldn't it be nice to hear it performed. Ah well, (See the piece on the Bunny down below.)

Anyway Glenn came over and we sang and sang. He's truly amazing. A great actor, great tenor, although he can also sing the Baritone stuff just fine. We read through some Mozart and it was the first time I had heard the Ottavio stuff. Great to hear it sung. We didn't really work on it, just sang through it. I'll probably make some adjustments if it gets performed, but it sure works great in English.

And then we did two Shakespeare songs. He seemed to really like them. Lee Hoiby did a setting of The Tempest bit and he liked mine better. Yeah for me.

We talked about maybe doing a concert version of the cycle. Maybe adding a woman for a duet or two. Maybe a star...Or Broadway star...whatever that means. Stars are good, of course.

Maybe we'll do a three parter: Mozart, Roven, and Maupin. That would be great. Maybe if Dr. T happens I can record my Classical Album!

Now, I'm about to call the radio station in St. Louis to do an interview.

Diary: Mostly Mozart

Went to MM last night to see the Emerson Quartet. I was amazed that it looked virtually sold out! Wow! Maybe it was the program (Trout, Hunt). Or just the fame of the Quartet? I tend to think the former because the audience applauded after the first movement of the Hunt. A definite no-no in NYC although I actually like it when they do. Looked like Drucker did as well. (And standard concert going procedure in cities around the world.) However, the audience DIDN'T applaud in the second act after the first movement of the Trout. Don't know why! Maybe those vicious ushers got to them.

Really old audience though. :(

Great exhibit out in the lobby. Mahler's conducting score of his first symphony. Fun to flip through it. Mahler made notes on it just like the rest of us poor slobs.

Loved the concert. Great playing, of course. Duh?! I sat on stage left. Heard the Viola part and Bass part louder than I ever had and that was lovely. Although the hall stinks wherever you sit.