The Morgans came down for lunch. Carol had prepared chicken salad, potato salad, and green salad. Donna brought a fabulous Yuppie borscht with dill and boiled potato. We had a Pinot Gris showdown between an Austrian Pinot Gris and one from Oregon--Eyrie Vineyards. Now which would you think would be better--a Nazi wine brought to you by people who drive an Audi...or a good old US of A vintage with an eagle on the label? No contest.

     We drove off in our BMW to the chapel at St. George's School, which looks more like Winchester Cathedral, overlooking the beach. It was choral music of Saint-Saens, performed by the Ecclesia Consort, a small local group that doesn't hold a candle to The Providence Singers, a small group of instrumentalists, and wonderful soloists, in particular Diane Alexander and Scott Hendricks. The first pieces were quite obscure, rarely performed...and for good reason. One was "Le Deluge." When the rain stopped and the dove appeared, the clouds parted and a golden beam of sunlight poured into the cathedral. Those goddamn Episcopalians--they have all the money and power. Things happen for them. After the intermission they performed the "Christmas Oratorio," also relatively unknown, but quite beautiful and satisfying.

     Dinner was at Grappa--every bit as good as the one in Providence. We had halibut, swordfish, risotto with shrimp, arugola salad with pears shaved Reggiano parmigiano, grilled calimari, bruschetta with filet, onions, and a creamy sauce. Excellent bread. Very clean silverware and glassware. Excellent service. And they take Transmedia!

     On to The Breakers for Virtuoso Liszt--two pianos, eight hands. Sometimes, when Piers Lane played, he played with eight hands of his own. What a stunning performer he is! The other pianists were Carlo Grante, Hamish Milne (who plays Liszt pretty well, but has an acerbic face that grimaces in pain, as if to say, "How could I be reduced to playing this shit?") and Frederic Chiu, who gave a stunning rendition of a Hungarian Rhapsody, making the piano sound like a cimbalom. It was an evening of non-stop fireworks.

Mr. Malkovich's special guest was Sergei Kruschchev, who teaches at Brown. He looks just like his father. Imagine what Nikita would be thinking to see his son in such a setting, fawned over by the height of American decadent capitalism.

     After a breakfast of croissants and scones from the Boulangerie, we headed off to The Elms for our last concert, Grand Duos: pieces for one piano and four hands. There were two pieces, one by Schubert, one by Loewe. the pianists were Milne, Lane, Hrynkiw, and Muzijevic. Once again it was a beautiful day, a wonderful concert. We returned to the condo, a lunch of great salads,

the Morgans left for Boston, and we left for Providence.

     And so, the Newport Music Festival comes to an end for us. We had three weeks of superb concerts, weather, friends, family, food, and wine. Mark Malkovich has created an exhilitaring musical event, and God has provided all the rest.