Geburtstag

This is how I want to spend my 99th birthday: in a recent NY Times article Daniel J. Wakin writes, “Now here’s a way to celebrate your birthday: Gather hundreds of affectionate fans in a theater, sit as they watch a rare performance of your only opera, and bathe in their applause. So it was for the composer Elliott Carter, who turned 99 on Tuesday. He was attending the final showing in a run of his opera, ‘What Next?,’ at the Miller Theater. The work was being staged for the first time in New York. The first half of the concert consisted of chamber music by Mr. Carter, followed by the opera after the intermission. During the break a stream of people came up to him. Many wished him a happy birthday. He signed a CD of his music. He accepted an organic chocolate bar from a female admirer, and took a bite. After the opera performance and bows by the cast members, they joined with the audience in round of ‘Happy Birthday.’ ”