I worked like a dog yesterday in Providence and made enough to pay for my week's tickets. I got back to Newport at 10:00 PM, grilled some tuna, some corn, some orange Holland peppers and some Vidalia onion. There was a lot of loud music coming across the water from Fort Adams, but I fell asleep quickly. I awoke to loud explosions outside, put on a bathrobe, and went out on the deck to watch fireworks being shot from barges off Fort Adams, right overhead. I later learned that TV executives and stars from all the networks had a private party at Fort Adams, and, since the TV business is good, they bought a lot of fireworks. They were the best fireworks I've ever seen. They went on for half an hour in a tasteful, well-choreographed display with a grand finale. There was a moon over the still water, no wind, and no clouds.

     When I awoke, I biked to the Boulangerie and picked up a scone, some coffee, and a paper and had breakfast on the lawn at The Elms. I was there in plenty of time to get a front row seat. It was a program of French piano music dedicated to the memory of the legendary (so legendary that no one but Mark Malkovich has ever heard of her) French pianist Marcelle Meyer. Tom Hrynkiw, in his morning oufit (wrinkled chinos, dirty white shirtsleeves sticking way out of the too short sleeves of a too-large blazer, black Rockport walking shoes, and a twisted tie, played some Rameau.

Then Alain Jacquon, one of our very favorite pianists, played some Debussy.

Hrnkiw returned to substitute for Nelson Goerner playing Couperin, and Jacquon took over to finish with a ravishing Gaspard de la Nuit of Ravel--a bravura performance. Then on to a nursing home to do a few consults, back to the condo to write them up, a little nap, and on to the Breakers.

     Full house at The Breakers tonight. The featured artist was Judita Leitaité, a Lithuanian (Jewish) mezzo-soprano who is a real first class diva. After all, she studied with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. She sang in Lithuanian, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish, Icelandic, German, and Latvian. Eat your tongue out, Melanie Sonnenberg--can you do that. She is petite, with dramatic hair and makeup, and a big coy smile. She puts her heart and soul into every song, the ultimate Romantic salon singer. Tom Hrynkiw accompanied her subtly and flawlessly.

As interludes, Livia Sohn played Sibelius violin pieces and Marcus Goranson played the flute. The evening was to honor the dean of Newport physicians, doctor to the veddy veddy rich of Newport (including Sunny von Bulow and Jack Kennedy), a former chairman of the board of the Festival, who is retiring from practice. Many of the doctors from Newport Hospital whom I know from my nursing home work were there. In fact, I saw a number of people from Newport that I've met over the past few years. I'm beginning to feel like a native. As an encore, Leitaité sang a song in Latvian. Gailitis is Latvian, and much loved in Newport. A tall and formal man, he stood in appreciation after she sang to him, and she came over, went down on her knees, and congratulated him. See how good it is to be a doctor...even a diva goes down on her knees for you! Actually, it was a very moving moment. What a way to go out!