ADVENTURES IN ZURICH WITH MR. BALANCHINE, PAT, AND DANCERS

        Life in Zurich was very pleasant for me as well as the others, for the most part.  We worked a great deal, but the schedule in a European Theater is usually quite congenial.  There were times when Pat asked us to work longer hours than contracted, but in those instances people had a choice.  Except for me...she usually needed me for rehearsals.  I lived in a beautiful apartment in a town called THALWIL, about 10 miles from the Operahouse.  The apartment was on the ground floor with a large yard (many flowers) so Chrissy's (Christine Redpath was my roommate), collie dog, Miss Julie, could run around freely.  On the floor below (where the garage was located) there was another room that belonged to my apartment.  I put my piano in that room, which was next door to the sauna and cold plunge.  Chrissy and I made good use of that sauna!  Now that was luxury.  Fortunately, the lady who owned the house liked both dogs and music!  There were three other apartments in this dwelling....and I do recall that one of my neighbors wasn't so fond of my piano playing in the early morning...but that didn't stop me.  I did have the landlady's blessing!   My good friends, Debbie and Jonas, lived close by in a lovely penthouse apartment (also in Thalwil) with a large deck that wrapped around their apartment.  So between the both places, we had the best of both worlds!
         I recall one of Mr. Balanchine's visits which turned into a nightmare!  He wasn't feeling well (no one knew what was wrong).  Pat and I were sitting with him in the theater for a stage rehearsal....he was between the two of us.  The Operahouse stage manager dismissed the crew, as the rehearsal time was finished!   (They were all very conscious of overtime, and clocks!).  Mr. Balanchine became enraged....he stood up and yelled, "NO! NO!  NOT YET FINISHED!!!"  And then he slammed his fist on the table in front of us!   His face turned purple, and I thought he would have a heart attack!   Both Pat and I were very alarmed, and raced to the stage to ask everyone to please continue the rehearsal.  Then we called Herr Direktor Dr. Drese who came immediately to the stage.  He persuaded the crew to stay, saying he would pay the overtime.  (That almost never happened, but obviously he did not wish to cause Mr. Balanchine to leave the theater.)  So....the rehearsal continued.  I should say here that Mr. B was not accustomed to having his rehearsals stopped or supervised.  But this was a European theatre, and he did not have the same authority as he did in the NYCB.  For the next several days, we all were walking on eggshells, fearing another outburst like that one.  There were several more stage rehearsals, but all of them went very smoothly.  Everyone was on their best behavior, including the stage crew.  I remember breathing a sign of relief, after the first performance had finished, and all had gone well.  Mr. Balanchine left for NYC....it was not long afterwards that he went into hospital.  Even after that episode it didn't occur to me that Mr. B was mortal, and could become incapacitated, which is what happened.  I had always thought of him as invincible and indestructible.  But of course, no one is...and we were all to learn very soon that he would not last long!  
        Another episode I remember well concerned the ballet LIEBESLIEDER WALZER, before it was scheduled to premier in Zurich.  Karin von Aroldingen came to stage the entire ballet, and she brought us all gifts....hats and scarves she had knitted herself!  I had been put in charge of the music (by Mr. B himself)....the four (4) singers.  That turned out to be a hornet's nest!  Two of the singers (both men) were very below par...and I was having difficulty with them.  I rehearsed them (playing the piano, and coaching the singing) every day.  However, they were just really POOR, and I realized they would not be able to get through an entire performance, let alone many shows without mishap.  (This was reminiscent of the Berlin filming singers.)  So I went upstairs to the DIREKTION, and told them exactly that.  I knew that the Opernhaus was trying to save money, and had obviously hired two less proficient singers (reflected in their pay scale).  However, that was not going to work, said I.  Mr. Balanchine had told me that if the singers were not topnotch, then he did not want the ballet presented, and on my recommendation would just cancel it!   Well, that put the fear of God into them....and they agreed to hire two competent male singers!  I couldn't believe they ever argued with me at all, but they did....until I delivered that ultimatum!  So I was provided with a cast of four (4) good singers (with decent backups as well), who needed rehearsing, of course....that was my job.  But at least I had the necessary components for decent musical performances!   They did go splendidly, and were all well received by the audiences in Zurich....even better than in New York.  Mr. Balanchine was very pleased, and frankly, I was relieved that the singers had performed so well.  My duo-partner was Andre Presser, a Dutch musician and pianist who also conducted for the Zurich Ballet...as well as many other companies.  I always enjoyed my concerto performances when he was wielding the baton.  Together we performed on many gala programs in Europe:  Monte Carlo, Madrid, Granada, Turin, and many other cities, including Washington D.C.  (Unfortunately I recently learned that Andre had passed in April of this year...which saddened me a great deal.  Andre was a heavy smoker, which may have contributed to his illness.  We were good friends, and enjoyed our work and performances together.  That is not always the case....some conductors are less congenial and competent than others.....one in Seattle comes to mind.)
        I distinctly remember the first time I performed 'THE CONCERT' in Zurich....choreographed by Jerome (Jerry) Robbins.  I rehearsed this ballet often in NYCB, but had never performed it there.  My friend and colleague, Jerry ZIMMERMAN, was always the onstage pianist for that work.  He was so perfect for the role, with his curly blonde hair, and taciturn demeanor.  Jerry performed this ballet until the end of his life....which was over too soon, sadly.  This was during the period of the AIDS epidemic, and no one knew what was happening.  To continue:  I was cast as the onstage pianist, and I remember Tommy Abbott coming to stage, rehearse and coach the ballet...Jerry would come later.  (Tommy, by the way, was one of the originals in the film of WEST SIDE STORY.  I didn't meet him until he came to the NYCB as Jerry's assistant.)  This ballet is a 'must' for anyone's bucket list.  I still laugh while watching it, and I have performed it many, many times.  There is a great deal of acting involved for everyone, including the pianist.  For example, there is a grand entrance for him or her, which includes an entire pantomime at the piano, before the ballet even begins!  I had great fun playing the Chopin pieces, and interacting with the various dancer characters onstage!  At the conclusion, the pianist becomes furious with everyone, and taking a butterfly net, chases all the dancers (who have since metamorphed into butterflies) around the stage, and then off.  At which point, the curtain slams down with a bang!  I wouldn't be able to perform the ballet now, simply because I can no longer run!  In Zurich one reviewer wrote:  "in the event Miss Chilgren should decide to stop concertizing, she definitely has a future in comedy!"   I have to say, I loved that review!
        While living in Zurich, I was asked to be Piano Soloist for the Basel Ballet Company, by the Director, Heinz SPOERLI, who actually was Swiss.  (He is presently Director of the ZURICH COMPANY.)  Of course, I requested permission from the Direktor of the Zurich Opernhaus, as well as Pat and Mr. Balanchine.  They were all very obliging in this, as long as my performing schedules did not conflict.  Since Basel was only an hour's drive from Zurich, I elected to drive each time, instead of taking the train.  Most of the time I stayed with my good friend, Mandy Bennett (Amanda), although I could have opted for a hotel.  Instead I asked for the per diem allowed for the hotel, and used the money for dinners with Mandy and our friend, Sheldon Schwartz.  I became acquainted with many of the dancers, including Uko Gorter (who later came to Seattle to join PNB, and Susan, another dancer friend who later married Uko.  They live in Seattle...and Uko often performs character roles with PNB).  Another dancer, with whom I became friendly is Martin Schlepfer....who was an extremely gifted dancer.  (He began as a figure skater, actually).  Martin became Direktor of the Berner Ballet, and then later went to Dusseldorf.  He has become a well-known choreographer in Europe, and earned many awards in that field.  Anyway, Heinz choreographed many piano solo ballets....to music of Rachmaninoff (Preludes) and various Liszt Etudes.  I was very busy there as well as in Zurich...but I really loved it all!  The Basler Theatre was very modern, and had an exceptionally good canteen....one could order an excellent meal, (as in Zurich) for much less money than in a restaurant.   American theaters do not offer this amenity....they could learn much from their European counterparts. 
        Speaking of canteens, I recall the day in the Zurich canteen, when the entire Opera Orchestra was present....many were members of the famed TONHALLE Orchestra of Zurich.  A very friendly fellow sat down next to me and offered me a glass of wine!  Since I was finished performing for the evening, I felt free to accept, as long as it wasn't too much.  (I needed to drive home to Thalwil after performances).  So I accepted his offer and we talked until the canteen closed!  This was the first time I met Christian Florea, a fabulous Rumanian cellist, although of course, he no longer lived in Rumania.  We became very good friends, duo-partners, and more, eventually.  My adventures with Christian would fill a book, so I won't start on them here.  However, that period of time was very interesting and musically stimulating for me.  I learned a great deal of the cello/piano repertoire, entered cello-piano duo competitions, played many concerts with him, went on many concert tours in various parts of Europe as well.  Our partnership was extensive, and we also appeared on several radio broadcasts.  I loved all of this, as you might imagine.  At one point, I brought Christian to America to teach and give master classes in one of the New York State Universities....where one of my good friends was chair of the music department.  (I also was on the faculty of this University during the summer...and both Christian and I taught and presented duo-recitals.)   
           Just to backtrack a bit....there is one story which bears repeating:  we were driving from Zurich to Florence, Italy for a group of concerts.  At one of the borders we were stopped for many hours....the car was searched, and Christian was strip-searched thoroughly.  Why?  He was Rumanian, with no official passport...only asylum papers for Switzerland.  He had fled his country while on tour with a string quartet at age 17....to escape the cruel dictator there.  When he was 15 years old, his father was shot to death on a bus in front of his eyes, for being an activist!  This was the world in which he had lived and been raised, about which I knew nothing.  After several hours, we were released....and I recall Christian telling me that I was so fortunate to have an AMERICAN passport.  I never forgot that!  It is true....I was never searched, nor questioned because of that passport!  I learned much on these excursions, and from him.  Americans know nothing of what goes on in other countries, and some of the atrocities that occur.   The sort of suspicion and distrust that is fostered in young people who have grown up in that atmosphere, is not to be believed.  Christian distrusted almost every older person he met from Rumania, for example....and other countries with similar dictator type of governments.  He was very explicit with me....that I should NEVER answer any questions about him from anyone.  He did trust me....I was so naive about so much, and am sure that was evident.  Unfortunately, I have lost touch with him, which happens in life all too often....although I have tried to find him, on Facebook, and other places, but to no avail.  I think perhaps he lives in Spain now, and may be conducting....but other than that, I know nothing else.  Perhaps one day I will locate him.  I do hope so.