REST IN PEACE OUR DEAR, SWEET, WONDERFUL CHARLIE.

Our Dear, Sweet, Wonderful 14 year old Charlie went to pet heaven about 2 hours ago. He died in Chris' and my arms in the back yard after being in seizures for almost 3 hours. He never came out of them. He is now with our other wonderful pets: Beau Bo our 13 year old Golden who died in 1997, Ito, the most beautiful Berman kitty who passed November 2009 and wonderful Mikey in April of 2010. All our wonderful boys are all together talking and telling stories about us.

I/we have so many wonderful memories of Charlie. I think one of my very favorites is one Chris would tell me. The nights I worked late, he would be on the bed with Chris. I would leave work about 10:10 and about that time Chris said he would jump off the bed, like he knew I was coming home. He would stand at the 2nd floor bedroom window looking out. Five minutes later I would pull into our cul de sac and look up and there was Charlie looking out the window waiting for me. By the time I pulled in the garage and got out of the car and opened the back door--- there was Charlie waiting for me wagging his tail.

When we owned the Bed and Breakfast the guests always loved it when we would bring Charlie out into the house, out of our quarters. He loved to meet the guests and they LOVED meeting Charlie.

He was a gentle, loving, wonderful friend to Chris and me. Never questioning ALWAYS LOVING, and a CONSTANT FRIEND !!!

REST IN PEACE OUR BEAUTIFUL, WONDERFUL SWEET COMPANION OF 14 YEARS. WE MISS YOU ALREADY !!!!

POOR CHARLIE

MIMI COMFORTING CHARLIE

CHARLIE 10 YEARS AGO AT OUR HOME IN FLORIDA


Poor Charlie is not feeling well. He hasn't had a seizure in about 10 days but his hind legs are getting weak. There are times they just slide out from under him and his skin itches. We have put him on vitamin E pills and it seems to be helping. the only way we can keep him from itching is to give him Benadryl in the morning and at night. He is an old boy, he will be 13 in October, that is 91 in human years. We love Charlie so much!!!

Van Cliburn, Richard Carter-Flitz, Symphony Hall Newark NJ, April 8 1967.

SYMPHONY HALL, NEWARK, NEW JERSEY

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.

ANOTHER NIGHT WITH VAN CLIBURN

WATERLOO VILLAGE
STANHOPE, NJ
SUMMER 1968


March of 1968 I got a phone call from Van telling me he was going to be playing at the new completed $500,000 Waterloo Music Festival venue in Stanhope, NJ. Retired Opera singer, Marion Anderson and Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Symphony was opening the Festival, on June 29th and he was the next featured artist. He said that he put 2 tickets away for me and my wife ( now ex-wife. ) He told me that it would be a formal affair held outside under the stars. During the next couple of weeks I was telling a group of friends and we decided to all go and have a very special evening. There would be 12 of us, six couples; the guys in tuxes and the gals in long gowns. We had to take our own seating and dinner if we wanted to eat. We planned a very unusual alfresco dinner on the grass.

The day of the concert arrived and there were 12 excited people in Plainfield , NJ. The Donald Clark Hughes, my best man and his wife Ann, the St. Amands, Bill and Phyllis Streeton, the Peter Moodys , all members of my wedding party and one other couple whose name I forget and my wife and I. I had called and ordered tickets for the rest of the party back in April.
The wives had prepared dinner the day of the concert, which included homemade cold lobster salad over a bed of baby spinach, fresh quartered tomatoes with appetizers of salmon and caviar on toast quarters with chilled champagne. Wine was served with dinner, dessert was fresh whole strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blue berries I had picked earlier that afternoon from my garden. Champagne flowed throughout dessert .
We arrived early so as to allow ourselves plenty of time to set up eat clean up and get ready to enjoy the concert. We picked out a nice flat area in front of the stage and spread out our large starched white linen table cloths and napkins silver and flutes and wine glasses. Set up 4 silver candelabras with white tapers and settled in for a gourmet dinner on the grass in our finest attire.
The other members of the audience arrived slowly and many came over to chat and take pictures. among those that came over and joined us for a few minutes and introduced themselves were first the Henry Fords, from Basking Ridge and later Malcolm Forbes and his wife. Well, that was something 12 under 30 somethings and two captains of industry all chatting. We had a nice chat and they all went back to their parties. We all just sat looking at each other not believing what just happened.
It was about 7:30 and concert began at 8:15. We cleaned and packed up our things and the guys took everything back to the cars and the gals set up the seats. We brought back another cooler with cheese and crackers and more champagne. We settled in for a wonderful night of Chopin under the stars.
My wife and I ran backstage quickly before the concert to say hi and let Van know where we were set up. He walked on stage to a standing ovation blew us kisses and as his butt hit the stool his fingers played the first notes of the "Star Spangled Banner." He began all his concerts with this.
The evening was magical, a beautiful late June evening in the lush hills of beautiful northern New Jersey. A soft breeze was wafting through the trees, which added the perfect touch to the incredible music wafting from the stage. The first 45 minutes came to a close to soon. The thousands rose to thunderous applause. During the intermission we all went backstage for a brief visit and introduction of our friends. We figured it would be better then, than after because there would be a crowd. This way we all had our private time even if just for a few minutes. We left after that brief time so Van could change tux. By the time we made it back to our lawn chairs the stage lights were starting to come up again. More beautiful strains of Chopin echoed off the back of the shell amphitheater just completed a week before. 10:15; the concert came to an end. . Van exited the stage with no encores. The crowd brought him back, he looked at me and smiled, I knew what was coming. Chopin's, "Winter Winds," One of my favorites. He stepped to the footlights and said that that was for a special friend in the audience and that the next encore would be for my wife, her favorite, Polonaise. Every concert we attended where there were encores, those were always the first two. A few more encores and Van to the edge of the stage to grab our hands and that incredible night was over. We headed back to our cars ready for the hour long drive home.
The next day The Hunterdon Times and the Newark Star Ledger both commented on the wonder concert and how well he played. They mentioned the encores and how special the people must feel that were played for them. They also mention the elegant dinner party on white linen table clothes with the silver candelabras, champagne flutes and silver flatware. That was us. I hope all my friends still remember that wonderful night.

ORIGINAL BROADCAST TAPES FROM THE MET. 1960 AND 1966

 Andrea Chenier

 Renata in front of the Met on

September 10, 1966

signed for me in 1968

Publicity shot of La Gioconda

Curtain call at La Scala

La Gioconda

 

I was on Ebay last week, in the opera section. and saw that there were a number of reel to reel tapes for sale that were made exclusively for a record executive.  They were recordings of operas from the Met that he had in his personal collection that were not recorded for any one else.  He passed away and these tapes were purchased  from his estate.   They were both of performances that I attended and starred Renata Tebladi. The earliest was Andrea Chenier, recorded on March 26, 1960. It was with Richard Tucker, Ettore Bastianini, Martha Lipton, George Cehanovsky, Enzo Flagello, Ossie Hawkins, Calvin Marsh and conducted by Fausto Cleva. 


The second, La Gioconda recorded on two dates, October 29, 1966 and December 10, 1966. I attended the one in October also conducted by Fausto Cleva.   This performance starred Renata Tebaldi, the great tenor Franco Corelli, Biserka Cvejic, Cesari Siepi and Anselmo Colzani. The conductor was also Fausto Cleva.  This was the second performance of this Opera  and cast that I saw.  The second Opening Night of three at the new Met at  Lincoln Center on September 18, 1966, La Gioconda with the same cast, which I attended.

I purchased both of these tapes, contacted a sound company in Bowling Green and the owner was very excited to put both of these historic, one of a kind, tapes on a CD for me. I am going to take both of them to him this week to get them transferred.  I can't wait to hear them.

A DAY WITH VAN CLIBURN IN NEW YORK CITY - 1972

                                                    Van Cliburn

                                             Rhilda Bee,  Van's Mom

                                                   La Grenouille

                                                       Arlene Dahl

                                          The Russian Tea Room

                              Palm Court -- The Plaza Hotel, New York
     

Memories

I was at work one day early in the morning and the phone rang, my secretary buzzed me and said Van Cliburn was on the phone.  He said he got in  to New York the day before and was at his apartment at the Buckingham  Hotel and wondered what I was doing and could I come into the city to spend the day with him. He said call my wife, at that time I was married, and see if she could come as well. I did and she did not want to go. I called him back and said I could be at his apartment in an hour and a half.  That would be perfect he said I have about 3 hours of practice to do today and I should be just about finished. I got to the Buckingham Hotel  on W 57th St. and took the elevator to his apartment; passed by his mom's apartment,  knocked and said hi. She greeted me with a hug  and said she was happy I could get into the city to spend the day with Van. She walked with me to his apartment and I could hear the music of Rachmaninoff echoing in the halls. We walked in and he was so engrossed in his music he did hear us come in, so Rhilda Bee and I sat on the sofa and chatted with Van 10 feet away playing his concert grand. A couple of minutes into our conversation the music stopped and Van came over and hugged us both and joined the conversation. Rhilda Bee left after about 15 minutes leaving Van and me to chat for another half hour before he said he had about 30 more minutes left of his practicing. As I sat listening, my eyes wondered around the room which was filled with mementos of his career: a miniature Egyptian obelisk under glass, this was an original Egyptian treasure given to him after a concert by the President of Egypt.  On the end table was a gift from Queen Elizabeth and on the piano his award from the Russian Tchaikovsky Piano Competition.

He stopped playing about 15 minutes later and asked me if I was hungry, I told him yes and he said go see what is in the kitchen that we might be able to fix for lunch.  I looked in the kitchen and it was like Old Mother Hubbard's Cupboard. Just a couple of things dying in the frig and literally one can of Campbells Tomato Soup in the cabinet.   When I told him he said , well hell this is a special occasion we will go out for lunch.  After he finished we went out to a beautiful Spring day in NYC, warm and sunny.

In the hour and a half I was in his apartment the temperature had warmed up and as I remember it was in the high 70's, a perfect day for walking in the City.  Where would we eat was the question of the hour.  It was pushing 11:30 to 12 and I had breakfast at 7:15. Van said where do you want to eat, I know he said lets to La Grenouille it is my favorite French restaurant in NYC , I know you'll love it.  It was a 5 block walk to the 52nd St landmark.  Along the way we looked in antique shop windows, Van was an avid antique silver collector. He always said it would be  there for his retirement.  It was my first time at La Grenouille, simple on the outside but beautiful on the inside.  Beautiful white linens, fine china, flatware,  crystal and flowers, fresh flowers everywhere. All colors, all varieties on every table. The back of the banquettes looked almost like a flower mart.  The menu was incredible, all French cuisine. It is known today as the last great French Restaurant in NYC.  The appetizer was French Pea Soup and the main course Dover Sole, Escalloped potage and fresh green beans.  Dessert, one of the best pieces of Chocolate cake I have had.  I went and looked at the menu  today and the same choices are on the menu; today and that would cost $81.00 . As we were eating, at a four top, I noticed a beautiful woman with red hair sitting at a table in back of Van.   She kept looking over at me and smiling.  She looked very familiar but could not put a name with the face.  After a few minutes she motioned to me not to let Van know she was coming to the table.  She walked up to Van and put her hands over his eyes and kissed him.   He turned around, got up and gave this beautiful woman  a hug and kiss.  I stood up as she sat down and Van introduced me as his good friend from NJ.  OMG ! Arlene Dahl the famous film beauty.  She had her lunch brought to our table and we all chatted about theater and opera.

45 minutes later we were out on the sidewalks again. Van had said he wanted to stop at a couple antique shops to look at some sliver. He found a couple of pieces  he liked and told the owner  to please hold them that he would be back in a couple of days to get them.  We walked a couple of blocks to another shop and looked at more beautiful antique pieces.  I had to go to the men's room, when I got back he handed me a bag with two wrapped packages in it and said here this is for you.  One was a Tiffany Sterling ashtray for my desk at work and the other a 1700's English Sterling Silver baby cup lined in gold for my 10 month old son, Erik.  It was now approaching 4 and time according to Van to stop at the Russian Tea Room on 57th St. for Royal High Tea. Royal High Tea at the Russian Tea Room is a once in a lifetime experience for someone like me.  Today,  $85.00 for lox, caviar, scones ,sturgeon, tea and champagne. It was amazing sitting in that world famous restaurant looking around at the other patrons, knowing that they were the rich and famous, movers and shakers of NY and of the world, and here I was a 30 year old bank manager from NJ.   After Tea, we went back to The Buckingham to freshen up for dinner.

We walked over to Park Ave. and went in and out of the stores and Van said. I know, the night I met you at the Opera we all went to dinner at the Plaza, let's go there only this time we'll eat at the Palm Court. We ended up at the Plaza about 7pm .We were escorted to the Palm Court by the General Manager of The Plaza. After champagne, we both had Shrimp Cocktail and Prime Rib.  Van was still hungry, he had a ravenous appetite, he called the waiter over and said we will each have another serving of Prime Rib.  When he went to pay for dinner, he realized that he forgot to put his wallet in his pants when he changed clothes for dinner.  Just like you and I could do, he called the Maitre 'd over and explained the problem, a couple of minutes later the Maitre 'd reappeared with $300. cash. We strolled back to the Buckingham where we talked for a short time. I thanked him for the wonderful day and the beautiful gifts. That is what friends are for he said, I am happy you had a good time. He called a limo to take me to the Port  of Authority Terminal  where I took the bus back home to New Jersey.  What an incredible 15 hours.  Another day I will never forget!

Minack Theater, Richard Carter-Flitz, OKLAHOMA!, Lake Worth Playhouse, 1987

THEATER

Twelve hundred people were standing, yelling and waving American flags.  It was the fourth encore after the final performance of our tour of OKLAHOMA through Cornwall, England.  The Minack Theater was an amphitheater built on the cliff of the Atlantic Ocean, 20 miles from Penzance that hosted theater groups from across England.  The Lake Worth Playhouse in Lake Worth, Fl, was the first American theater group to be invited to perform at this internationally renowned theater.  It was an amazing feeling.  The cast of 34 walked off stage waving to all those wonderful Cornwallians. The applause kept on for minutes and we were brought up from the dressing room and told to get back onstage, they were not going to stop or leave until we came back out.  As we walked back on stage we could hear the screaming and the orchestra playing “Oklahoma,” as our foot hit the stage we started singing.  The theater was built to hold 900; there were 300 more sitting on rocks hanging in trees, what an amazing sight.  The audience was standing and singing with us and they were all waving our beautiful American flag.  We were all so emotional that we could not sing.  I looked at the guy next to me and he had tears in his eyes, that started me; all of us we crying, the emotion over came all of us.  All the guys all took off our hats and waved and the girls waved their hankies.  After the last word “OKLAHOMA,” the audience rushed to the stage.  The English loved OKLAHOMA and us; after all OKLAHOMA was the granddaddy of the modern American Musical.  It was about an hour after that last word before we could go back to the dressing room.  This was the end of  the 2 month run that started in Lake Worth, FL and passed through London, Leeds, Brighton, Lynton on the Rocks, Penzance and ended in a triumphant week at the Minack in Porthcurno,