DEPARTURE FROM NYC FOR SWITZERLAND

              My departure from New York City took place after my trip to Europe, and hearing that VOICE in Venice.  I spoke about my phone ringing in my apartment just as I entered it....it was Barbara Horgan, (Mr. Balanchine's assistant.)  She told me the startling news that he wanted me to go to Geneva, and be piano soloist for that company.  It was directed by Patricia Neary, (Colleen's older sister).  I knew Colleen, but never had met Pat.  Mr. B was the ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, and Pat was the Director...(meaning day to day).   So although I had never been to Geneva, nor knew any of the people there, I WAS totally familiar with the work, of course.  Pat had kindly arranged for me to stay with one of the dancers (Ellen was her name) until I could find a suitable apartment of my own.  Barbara asked me to come to her office the next day to meet Pat (who was in town) and pick up my working visa and contract for the position.  I did as she asked, and when I met Pat, thanked her profusely for arranging a place for me to stay temporarily.  I also took the opportunity to pick up a few pieces of music from the music room (while there was no one there to question me!)
           When I thought about Geneva, no picture came to my mind.  (Not surprising, I dare say.)  Actually I felt as though I was looking at a blank screen, or a brick wall.  A very strange feeling.  But I knew this was a definitive moment.... and there aren't too many of those in life.  Although, I must say, this was one of many for me.    A few days later, I left my NYC apartment (and Piano) with my friends, Marilee and Clorinda, who were doing their level best to remain cheerful.  But all three of us were teary. While checking myself and baggage onto my flight, I thought of all the other times I had traveled, but with the assistance of others....baggage handlers, etc., thanks to being a part of the NYCB.  I have said previously how convenient that was...and not fully appreciated until I was no longer part of that organization.  
         I purchased a coffee and a magazine, and sat down in the waiting area for Swissair.  There were no cell phones at that time, so couldn't call anyone.   So many things have changed since that era;  young people these days cannot even imagine NOT having a cell phone or a gadget to listen to tapes.  [At this very moment in time, am watching a retrospective of Johnny Carson's life and the TONIGHT SHOW.  I always watched him and remember being so sad when his show ended....and recall Bette Midler singing to him..."ONE FOR MY BABY AND ONE MORE FOR THE ROAD." Another talk show host took over, Jay LENO, who was introduced to America on Johnny's show....(Jay had a lot of black hair then).  And now he has retired, and Jimmy FALLON is the latest TONIGHT SHOW host.  But none will ever come close to Johnny.  He really was the quintessential talk show host.  (And at this moment, David LETTERMAN is soon to retire; Barbara Walters HAS retired after 50 years on TV.  Life moves on...and we all move with it.  Johnny was a heavy smoker, and paid the price for that...he eventually died from a lung disease in 2005...don't know if it was emphysema.  But for me, he was one of the funniest men in the world.] 
        Anyway the flight to Geneva was very smooth and comfortable.  Swissair is (or was) one of the very best airlines, and the cuisine was excellent.  It was the only airline I ever took to Europe during my 9 years of exile (!).  None of the American airlines could compare....even the atmosphere in the Swissair terminal was calm and very organized...giving off an air of extreme competence.  
        My arrival in Geneva was more or less uneventful.  The manager of the company, whose name was Pierre, met me...holding a sign with my name on it!  He was a rather unusual looking fellow, with dark eyes, and dark complected....and of course, fluent in English.  He was Swiss-French, had been a dancer in the Geneva company, and then continued his career as an administrator.  He drove me to Ellen's apartment, which (I think) was above a restaurant in the center of town.  I recall the tiny elevator, which was a bit rickety...and ascended very slowly to her floor.  It is odd how certain details stand out in one's mind....like that elevator, for example...and the smell of raclette and cheese fondue, which I grew to love while in Switzerland.  Ellen took me on a walking tour of Geneva (not a huge city)...where I saw the famous flower clock downtown.  The next day I took a bus and streetcar tour by myself...(that became my favorite way of sightseeing.)  I would not have to worry about driving, directions, or parking and could just ride and look.   (I highly recommend it). 
        My first day in the studio was very interesting.  Pat was a very colorful character (she still is)!  She always gave class and took it at the same time!  I had never seen anyone do that.  Her energy level was amazing, and didn't seem to flag.  Even when she was sick, she used to say, "I'm sick PLUS I don't feel well!"  (That was funny, to me anyway.) One of the ballets being taught was COPPELIA, and Mme. Danilova was there to stage it.  She was a true Grande Dame, and always very entertaining.  I adored the lady, as did most of her students at SAB where she taught.  (She and Mr. B were famously close, and she always did as he wished....including setting Coppelia at NYCB.  I had played for many of those rehearsals also.  I recall the time when she and I decided to attend an opera at the GRANDE THEATRE DE GENEVE...after all, we were already there.  The evening of the opera we were a bit late in leaving the studio, so out on the street and taking hold of each other's hands, we RAN up the hill to the front of the house.   I have to say that lady could really RUN!!!  
        Two dancers (married) who became very close friends in Geneva were Deborah Dobson and Jonas Kage.  They had been principal dancers in ABT (American Ballet Theater), and then were offered contracts in Geneva.  Debbie and Jonas and I had many adventures together.  I remember going cross country skiing with them and another guy (French), and at some point I just couldn't continue.  My legs were giving out.  Jonas just picked me up and carried me on his back down the slight hill.  (Cross country skiing is more difficult than downhill skiing, in my opinion, anyway.)   He was very strong, obviously...and I was very grateful.  On another occasion (a few years later) we all went on a cruise on Jonas' cousin's yacht in the Bering Sea!  That was fun!  Since we were on the yacht a few days, we docked at a small island (I think the property was owned by Jonas' cousin) where there was a sauna.  So Debbie and I got off the boat to enter the sauna....in towels.  Everyone else inside was totally unclothed, and we were quite taken aback.  One of the gentleman in the sauna was OUR dentist from Zurich....who waved at us as we walked in.  I remember Debbie giggling so hard....but we didn't take our towels off.  I have often laughed to myself at that one!
        Over the next few years, many dancers from the NYCB came to Zurich, including one of my great friends....Christine Redpath, who is presently ballet mistress at NYCB.  She began there (after her dancing was finished) by working for Jerry Robbins.  I was able to return her sage advice (to me from years before)....'to never let Jerry know that one was upset by him.'   Another dancer and wonderful friend, was Elise Flagg....who came there and danced with Rudolph Nureyev.  He liked her very much...partly because she was so little, and he had no problem lifting her!  And Elise was a very technically proficient dancer as well.  Also her sister, Laura Flagg Pitts (who is much on my mind of later) came there with her husband, Bryan Pitts.  Unfortunately, they didn't stay very long....only 9 months.  Plus Debbie Austin (with then husband Hartmout), Amanda Bennett (before she went to Basel).  Mandy became Director of the Basel Ballet School....and still is.  She was a fantastic dancer; I have seen her on the ARTS CHANNEL here in Seattle, dancing with Sheldon Schwartz....Heinz Spoerli's PULCINELLA.  A good friend from NYCB, Gerry Ebitz also came to Zurich (and later to PNB).  He married Kay Preston...(who unfortunately passed away several years ago....she was murdered by an ex-boyfriend...a horror story if ever there was one.)  Elizabeth Carr and Lucette Katerndahl also came to join the Geneva company, and moved to Zurich...but stayed only a short time.  
         One of my roommates, Laura Smeak, a fantastic and unusual dancer from NYC (not City Ballet, but another company), had a very wonderful sense of humor.  She married a Swiss fellow who worked at CERN in Geneva, and now lives there (she moved back after Pat left Zurich).  We have re-connected again via Facebook, for which I am most grateful.  She and Elise and I were all great friends.  She told me she has a son who is a huge fan of Michael Jackson's, and when she told him she had a good friend (Dianne) who had known Michael, he was just ecstatic.  It is great to know that present day young people are finding Michael relevant.  He was such a great artist and person....and his music is very popular.  I find that wonderful...I cannot imagine anyone who would not love Michael's music.  I just wish he were still here to compose more of it. 
           I remember when Elise moved to Zurich and lived in a very small apartment (Elise size) for a time, before her then husband, Michael Romano joined her.  They found a larger apartment, and Michael (who already was a well-known chef) became the top chef in the best French restaurant in Zurich.  Of course, we were all treated to fabulous dinners from his kitchen, as well as fantastic wines.  Plus restaurant jaunts..Michael knew all the best places. One evening Rudi (Nureyev) was invited to dinner by Michael and Elise...(as well as Chrissy and myself...she was my roommate at that time).  That was some evening!  Rudi persuaded Michael to dance a tango with him in the living room!  A few years back, I spoke with Michael on the phone, and asked him if he remembered that evening.  He said, "Dianne, I am so glad you reminded me of that...I thought perhaps I had imagined the entire thing.  And no one ever believes my story!"   But it was definitely true....I WAS THERE! 
        There are so many stories circulating in my head...and not space or time enough to tell them all.   But one comes to mind:  On one of our vacation breaks, I took a trip to Majorca, to visit the home of Chopin, and see the caves and other sights.  I went by myself, which turned out to be fun...I could do what I wanted when I wanted.   Unfortunately, I came in contact with some tainted food in the HOTEL, of all things, near the end of the trip.  So I was on the plane when the uncomfortable feelings began.  Ugh!  I just prayed that I would make it home (to Zurich) before a nasty accident happened.  As luck would have it, I did make it home....just in time.  The next few days I spent in bed, sick as a dog, and not able to work at all.  The doctor was called (either by Chrissy or Albi, Pat's assistant)...and he came over.  (Can you imagine house calls from a physician in America?)  I had a particularly virulent form of food poisoning, and one just had to basically wait for it to pass.  The phone rang, and it was Rudi (Nureyev), who said he knew I was sick, but was wondering if there was ANY possibility I could come in and play RUBIES (Stravinsky) for him?   He wanted to learn the music first (by ear) before learning the steps to the ballet with his partner...who was going to be Elise!   (That was a FIRST, don't know any other dancer who ever thought of doing that!!)  And it was a testament to his thoroughness as an artist.  Unfortunately, I told him, it was not possible for me to even sit at the piano, let alone play Stravinsky!  He understood, and said he would call me the next day, which he did.  I was still too ill to come, but thought I might be able to possibly come the following day.  And he called yet again that day....and told me he would bring a bucket!!!  Some beautiful flowers arrived at my apartment from him!  Well, to make a long story a bit shorter, I did struggle out of bed to the studio that day...Chrissy drove me to the studio, which was of great assistance.  And I was able to play all of the Capriccio for him...(he sat next to me at the piano during this session.) Instead of telling him the counts Mr. B had used for the choreography, I told him to count the music as HE HEARD it, which he did.  That worked for him.  Stravinsky isn't an easy composer to understand, but Rudi was a very musical person, and meticulous in his preparation.  I played all the entrance passages several times for him, so he would know (without counting) when he needed to come onstage.   There are several places in each movement for the principal couple to enter, so even with no steps learned as yet, he learned the music!!!  I think this was the most unusual rehearsal I ever played...with the dancer sitting next to me on the piano bench!!!