The Overture
The gentlemen from Philadelphia did not take this as a refusal. Instead they went on talking and talking over entrees of fish smothered in a weighty cream sauce. Eventually, Christy seized the moment:
"There are two questions here, and the second is, do you have 15 weeks a year? The first is: If you had no encumbrances at all, would you want to come to Philadelphia?"
There followed the longest pause they’d ever experienced — 60 of the longest seconds of their lives.
Sawallisch never did answer the questions. Instead, the lunch wound down over small talk and the promise to meet again at the end of July.
BACK IN PHILADELPHIA, THE SEARCH committee’s next meeting was June 19th at an office at the Mann. There they heard the news from Munich: Sawallisch hadn’t said yes, but he hadn’t said no. The decision before the committee was whether to think about the next candidate or reinforce the request. Everyone was eager to reinforce the request. So the Orchestra began their summer season at the Mann while, over on the other side of the Atlantic, Sawallisch toyed with the idea.
At that lunch in Munich in June, Sawallisch had agreed to another visit on July 28th. And so, on the evening of the 27th, Kluger met Christy at the Munich opera house, where they attended a performance. Tonight Sawallisch was conducting the Mozart opera Don Giovanni from his seat at the harpsichord. For four hours they watched, from the front row, as Sawallisch played and conducted with so much energy, and so much passion, that by the end Kluger and Christy merely exchanged glances, knowing that, while up to now they’d been defensive on the subject of his age, they had just seen all concern vanish.
As Kluger would say later, "This is a guy who could outlive both of us."
The next day, they met for lunch with Sawallisch and his wife, Mechthild. Christy got right down to business, recapping the situation to date and saying, in essence, maybe we should be specific, because we’re more convinced than ever that you’re our choice, and the Orchestra’s musicians fear we’ll underplay their ardor, so we’re really prepared to make you a firm offer today and. . .
"Please, stop," said Sawallisch, and everyone braced for the worst.
"I will relieve your anxiety by saying my wife and I have thought about it, and our answer is yes."
Waiter! Champagne! Over the rest of lunch they discussed many of the details, such as the number of weeks he’ll conduct here (it’ll be 15) and his starting date. His contract in Munich keeps him there until 1993, but he agreed to conduct for six weeks in the 1992-93 season, including a tour of the U.S. and Asia. By the time coffee arrived, Sawallisch was saying, "Just put it all in writing and send it to us."
That afternoon Christy and Kluger drove off through Bavaria to Salzburg where, by coincidence, Riccardo Muti was conducting – and celebrating his 49th birthday. They stayed in the town of Anif, in the same hotel as Muti, and during dinner he came over to their table.
