I became a great fan of opera courtesy of a hairdresser in New York city. One day I was having trim enjoying the banter a native New Yorker feels the need to direct at his Australian clients-all Americans first assumption is that English people are Australian. The haircut was fair but the hairdresser had a remarkable marketing tool he employed. ‘I hope you enjoyed the music I was playing’ he said. I had not noticed but his request to take the tape and play it in my car ‘in the background’ he insisted I readily accepted. “I am about to give you a wonderful gift’ he said. ‘You will be very grateful to me” he was right. the clever bit was of course it meant I returned to have my haircut by him for some time.
I had a most beautiful BMW 7 series at the time with a fantastic stereo. I put the cassette in the machine and over the next few weeks I became acquainted with many of the classic ‘opera arias’. To begin with I was unimpressed but as the tunes became familiar I was awe struck. Later on in life as a senior figure in my firm I had the great privilege to have some fantastic seats at The Royal Opera House and I was to hear many of these arias again as part of the great operas. This tale is so sad and yet in its own way it like an opera in real life.
Michale and I had become good friends when we worked on the floor of The London Stock Exchange. Michael was a well educated Cambridge graduated who had some how got a job with the most Jewish of organisations called Smith Brothers. Many years later he was to have a top Investment job at The Norwich Union Investment group now Aviva. He had become a client of mine and We got on well. Michael had bought an old stately home that was falling apart and with his lovely wife Gina he was rebuilding it. By day Investments, by night and weekends hard hard manual work. Perfection his benchmark. I visited his home on an number of occasions and marvelled at this couples ambition and guts. Along came son’s Tom and James and then one day the most awful of phone calls. I am writing this down not to be dramatic but to remind all who might read it that disaster does indeed happen and sadness is part of life. It can be, in only in other’s sadness, one can realise just how lucky ones own life is. For me sadness is as much part of life as is joy. If by some chance Michael you are to read this and disapprove I apologise most sincerely.
Gina was pregnant with a third child but she had also been diagnosed with cancer. Save herself or the child was the choice. Gina gave birth to Arabella but sadly became more ill. I remember calling Michale and asking him a question that could have caused offence thankfully it did not. I offered to give Gina a ‘night to remember’ if she would like and I left Michael to choose what it might be. A night at the Opera was his response.
A limousine picked Michael and Gina up from the station and we had a one course meal at The Ivy I think. My mother had curiously had a love for opera. Where that had come form I had no clue but her favourite opera was La Boheme and the aria ‘Mimi your tiny hand is frozen’ moved her to floods of tears. We took up our seats and as we did so I had the realisation of some amazing coincidences that were about to play out. The Opera was of course La Boheme and given that Gina herself was dyeing I became alarmed at what I had chosen for Gina to watch. I looked across at Michale and his look reassured me. As that haunting aria to Mimi washed over the audience I looked across at Michael and Gina their hands entwined. A few months later I stood in the chapel on their land where Gina was buried. The coffin was followed into the church by two small boys. The small congregation witnessed a site that was sad beyond any words.
My son Tom played a part in supporting Tom and James in later life. Arabella has apparently been very successful. Michale has a whole new life a farmer. I have visited him but something tells me that I am part of a very sad chapter in his life and reminding of it serves no purpose.
When life is bad and desperate things happen it sometimes serve to recall the saddest moments of your life. Mimi and La Boheme represent this sentiment in full. I am also glad to say that Opera is still one on my musical joys.
My next song is ‘Mimi your tiny hand is frozen’ from la Boheme.
Tales of a Life Well Lived 