SATURDAY, APRIL 8, 1967
PROGRAM SIGNED BY VAN CLIBURN
My wife at that time, Carolyn, and I and her sister,Pat, and her husband, Henry, had been waiting to go to Van Cliburn's concert at the Symphony Hall in Newark, NJ since late February when Van sent me the tickets. Newark was 35 minutes northeast of our home in Plainfield, NJ. We had been married 10 months and had already seen Van a few times. This was the first time for my brother in law and sister-law. We took 2 cars since we knew we would be invited out with Van and his mom after the concert and the others said they would not go.
Our seats were in the 4th row of the center orchestra left. So we could see his hands. That is always the best seating for a piano concert. We arrived early so we could see Van before the concert. As always he greeted us with hugs and kisses and some from and from his mom. I introduced Pat and Henry, we exchanged some small talk and he asked us to come backstage right after the show.
Symphony Hall was sold out and the back of the stage was even filled with audience. The program for the evening was mixed composers and was wonderful
As usual, he announced the first and second encores were dedicated to two very special friends in the audience. This always made us feel very special.
We arrived backstage with my my brother and sister in-law. Karen and Harvery Sharfman were there, friends of Van's and a very sweet lady Anna Finkel who lived in Newark and was a patron of the arts. Anna was throwing a dinner party at her home for Van and insisted that we join them. Henry, a farmer had to get up early the next morning and regretfully declined and took their car home. Anna gave us directions so Carolyn, her sister Pat and I left for her home.
We were among the first to arrive at her magnificent home, in a then beautiful area of the city. We were welcomed by the butler who had been notified we were coming. We greeted the other few guests who were all Patrons of the Arts in Newark and sponsors of the concert. We were next introduced to Sol Hurok, of Sol Hurok Management, the most prestigious music management company in the world. We chatted for a while then the server offered us some champagne which we were only to happy to accept. The large and beautiful dinning room had 20 places set at the table, with magnificent silver, china and crystal. Wow a sit down dinner. There were hor d'oeuvres on two tables in the dinning room and a bar and bartender set up in the beautiful wood paneled library. Shortly, Van, Rildia Bee, Harvey, Karen and Anna arrived, followed by another couple.
Small talk and champagne toasts preceded dinner. There were about 30 people there. As the guests were taking their seats Van and I were talking. Van said to Anna , who I know was very disappointed, that he and his mom and Carolyn, Pat and I would all make ourselves comfortable on the floor in the huge living room. Vans said Anna and her friends would be much more comfortable at the table and we could all make ourselves at home on the floor in the other room. The servers brought in table settings and moved small tables and chairs in a nice grouping next to the concert grand in the living room. A wonderful salad was the first course, incredible, rare, bone in prime rib, fresh spinach and twice baked potato was the main course followed by strawberry shortcake for dessert. The little tables cleared away, Van, his mom, the Sharfmans, my wife, her sister and I were left at the one end of the living room to ourselves. By this time Van had shed his Tux jacket, vest and white tie and I did the same. Van sat on the floor and we joined him. His shoes were the next thing to come off. Then, I remember asking him where in Europe he had been lately. He told me and we talked a few minutes about his times there and then he asked me what was the last show I was in. I told him AN INSPECTOR CALLS, a British murder mystery. He said he had just seen it in London the year before and loved it. He asked me about my interpretation of my character and what show was coming next. We got in some deep conversations about characterizations and memorizing lines and piano scores. He asked if would play something on the piano. I laughed and said is chopsticks ok? “Absolutely, he said lets play a duet.” Well, sir, I played a piano duet with Van Cliburn, it was Chopsticks but it was a piano duet. What a memory.
It was fast approaching 2 in the morning and most of the party had left; hostess Anna Finkel and Sol Hurok joined us in the living room and enjoyed our duet and even applauded. Van mentioned to them that I was an actor and they wanted to know wanted I had done. Nothing great at that point except understudy the George Gibbs role in OUR TOWN at Circle In The Square in New York City, regional and summer stock in New Jersey.
It was getting late and we all were beginning to fade. Van asked me if I had my program, he wanted to write something on it. I handed it to him. He took a couple of minutes, thought, and then began writing. After a minute or so he handed it back to me and said wait till tomorrow to read it. We all gave our thanks to Anna and Van and hugged goodbye. Promised to call and left that wonderful might to memories. The next morning as promised I started to get the program to read. The phone rang and it was Van saying how good it was to see us and that he would be in NYC for a couple of weeks and we needed to come and visit. He asked me to read the note on the program.. It read.....
For my friends Dick and Carolyn Flitz
Again, it wonderful to be together. You are such unforgettable friends. You must know you always have with you the sincere and affectionate wishes of
Van C__________.
Now, that is what memories are made of.
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