Jane Talks, Anecdotes...when our stories are not being told... What do we do when our stories are not being told?...Dance to the music of the living and dead, and you will find your way home. Jane Marsh

Maestro George Schick, Music Consultant of the Metropolitan Opera at the time, had taken a big interest in me since my having won the attention of several major New York critics, the likes of Irving Kolodin, Winthrop Sargeant and Harold Schonberg, all of whom had written very favorably about me, after my involvement in the Met Auditions, while I was still at Oberlin College.

Some time thereafter, Mo. Schick called me at Oberlin, saying that Mo. Erich Leinsdorf was looking for a leading soprano to head a stellar team for the opening of the Boston Symphony season, in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, and that he, Mo. Schick, would like to bring me to Mo. Leinsdorf’s attention. Was I willing to come back to New York and sing for Mo. Leinsdorf at the arrangement of the Met? I, in the middle of classes and tests, of course immediately mentioned this to my voice teacher at Oberlin, Ellen Repp, who simply said, “You go! I’ll take care of the school”. So off I went to New York, excited by this hugely complimentary prospect.

On the audition day, I arrived to be greeted by a mass of people assembled on the Rehearsal Stage of the Met. Not many singers, but numerous eager listeners. Mo. Leinsdorf, I later learned, was always someone who strongly demanded that one stand up to the occasion at hand, couldn’t have been less encouraging of me as I began to sing for him. Emitting a contradictory tone to everyone in the room at large, he clearly indicated that I, this kid, had been ill invited and was wasting his time:

“She’s much too young you know. I really don’t see how she can manage this”, he’s directing to Mo. Schick and everyone listening. Then, somehow caught up and convinced by what he was hearing from me, he changed completely, asking me to create colors, tempi and tone consistencies he obviously enjoyed. Suddenly, grinning enthusiastically, he blurted out: “She can do it. You’re hired!”

next anecdote

home bio repertoire archive audio publications Jane's blog contact