The last notes of "Valse Triste" have died away on the radio. The Minnesota Orchestra under the baton of Osmo Vänskä is no more. I climb the stairs to my den. What loss.
To Michael Henson: Shame on you for not fighting as hard for the music as you did for the budget. To Jon Campbell: Shame on you for acting like the banker you are instead of music lover and board chairman of an epic ensemble. As a financial leader, you could have stemmed the excesses of 2007 and softened the fall of 2008. As a wealthy man, and as the leader of a board composed of wealthy people, you could have given more. Musicians: Some small shame falls to you, too. You deserve to be paid handsomely for your skill and dedication and art, but perhaps not as well as you demanded. And shame on me: I could have bought a larger series and given a few dollars more.
Maestro Vänskä: No shame attaches to you. Your honor, like your musical leadership, remains pristine. Thank you.
