Recently, Andrew Cuomo was inaugurated for his second term
as New York State governor. On the same day, his father, Mario Cuomo, passed
away.
There were many eulogies and tributes from famous
politicians to the elder Cuomo, a three-term governor of the state. Being a
layperson, I would like to share my personal experience with him in Rochester.
In August 1978, Monroe County sponsored several free RPO concerts
at the Highland Park Bowl. Mario Cuomo, displaying his oratorical skills, was
narrator in Copland’s orchestral work, “A Lincoln Portrait.”
I was soloist in Bach’s Concerto No. 2 and Bartok’s Rhapsody
No. 1, both for violin and orchestra. The concert had an enthusiastic audience
of almost 15,000.
During the rehearsal, while backstage, we visited for over
30 minutes. Talking comfortably, Cuomo impressed with his vision of what needed
accomplishing in New York.
My private audience was a great honor.
HOWARD WEISS
FORMER CONCERTMASTER, RPO
This article appears in Feb 25 – Mar 3, 2015.
