Back when I was still working, the carpool dropped me off in front of the office around 7:00 one morning in 1994(?) and who should I see striding quickly down 14th Street for his daily constitutional with a contingent of security officers all around him but Nelson Mandela! Well, I was tempted to kneel down and hope for his blessing, but instead I started applauding and I was immediately joined by others nearby. The great man turned, smiled, and waved!
Katka and I were at the Kennedy Center last night. When the conductor -- my very unfavorite Christoph Eschenbach -- took the podium, he turned to the audience and said (or words to this effect) "Today one of the very greatest of world leaders passed away. Nelson Mandela died this afternoon. [The audience gasped audibly.] We will play "Air on the G String" by J.S. Bach. When we finish, please do not applaud. Spend a minute in silence." That minute of silence was deafening! It was all very moving.
I have to admit I was wondering how Eschenbach would segue from that to
"Overture to the Magic Flute." Simple. And fabulously effective.
After the moment of silence, he simply left the stage. He returned a
minute or two later to begin the concert normally.
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