Troy Meets Marin Alsop

Music lovers, no matter what age or proficiency level, all think alike. When a Saturday morning has nothing but a pouring rain to offer, they still know how to have a good time.

Saturday started with one of those hopelessly rainy mornings when you know there’s going to be no improvement later in the day. You get the idea… It was pouring!!!

After breakfast I asked Troy what he wanted to do, and of course he wanted to go to the park. I explained that we couldn’t because it was raining so hard.

Having heard that, he said something that both surprised and made me just a tiny bit proud of him: “ Go oo-seum, see I-kah” ( Translation: Let’s go to the museum and see Eurydice).

It sounded like the best option, considering the circumstances, so off we went.

The Ancient Greek Room was empty – could not be more perfect for our Eurydice quest. Having re-visited Orphee, Eurydice and Amour that we found on our previous visit, Troy, armed with a soft nail file (his pretend “baton”) and myself singing very softly to him, started the search.

As we were looking and taking pictures, I kept illustrating it all with Orphee’s arias. I was singing very softly, almost humming, not to bother anyone, just in case there were other people in the back of the room.

Suddenly, there was this young couple standing right in front of us with the most joyful face expressions. The girl said: “I just wanted to let you know that you have the most beautiful singing voice. We have been walking after you for some time and enjoying it! You sing beautifully!”

Excuse me? The most beautiful singing voice? Are you guys for real?

I was swept by embarrassment and surprise mixed with a tiny drop of pride. All right, I was flattered.

Having no vocal ambitions whatsoever, I mainly use my voice to sing for Troy and facilitate his musical discoveries. He is my only audience at the time, and I am very happy with the way it is. The fact that Troy likes my voice is one thing: naturally, children always like their moms’ voices.

Yet, did I really sound that good? Could it be because I love Gluck and fully let myself into Orphee’s sorrows and hopes every time I sing his arias?

This, however, was just Part 1 of our adventures.

Nothing on earth could have prepared us for what happened next. As we were about to leave, in walked Marin Alsop, our very own Baltimore Symphony music director and leading conductor, internationally acclaimed, numerously awarded and most widely acknowledged.

She looked exactly like in all her pictures, and exactly the way she looked on this night: stylish, classy and very sophisticated. I whispered to Troy who the lady was, and he looked very interested.

As Ms. Alsop and her friends stopped not far from us, we came up and I introduced myself and Troy. I told her that I was a huge fan and we shook hands. Then she looked at Troy and noticed his “baton”, and I told her that he loves “conducting” and that it’s his “baton”. She smiled and said” Really? Are you a conductor?” Troy did not say anything but looked at her very seriously and waved his “baton” in confirmation of my words.

Oh, I know my friends. You are thinking “Where is the picture of Marin Alsop and Troy together?” Somehow I could not bring myself to ask her. Some inner feeling, (call it intuition if you will) told me that under given circumstances this was just not the right thing to do. So I didn’t. But I could tell that, fascinated by conducting as he is these days, Troy was very impressed to have met a real conductor!!!

Music lovers, no matter what age or proficiency level, all think alike. When a Saturday morning has nothing but pouring rain to offer, they still know how to have a good time. They just head to an art museum!