From Juliet Oppenheimer

10 June 2005

Steven you wanted my account of staying with Stella. Here goes.

 

When I was leaving school, Stella heard one of my A levels was Latin, so she invited me to stay with her for a week in the summer to "help her with her research"  - very flattering.  It was an eye opener to be treated as an equal in such a sophisticated environment, and I was made to feel quite useful. Though how much use I could have been on a shredded manuscript, written in abbreviated medieval Latin, en numerating the many articles in the Royal Wardrobe at Hampton Court ( I think it was that) I can only guess!  It was a very nourishing thing for her to do, and maybe she hoped it might inspire me in her field.  But I was firmly set on the singing mode.  Even there she helped. One evening she asked if I had ever been to the Royal Opera House, and when I said no, she picked up the phone and bought me a ticket for that night.  It was Peter Grimes, an amazing first experience there.  Many years later, when Steven Gregory was lodging with her she introduced us over dinner because she had discovered we were both involved in Opera For All's Traviata.  I was Violetta and Steven was designing lovely frocks and stage sets for it.  Nearly a year later, I had just been asked to join the Royal Opera House Chorus, and had a summer to learn Peter Grimes for the tour to Japan.  I had a recording and a score, and Stella had invited me to stay in Steven's flat while he was away.  I never hear that music without remembering sitting in that top floor room, with the wind howling in the great trees at the end of the garden, while I was listening to the most sea-, and storm-like music you can imagine!  Twenty-five years later I am still associated with the Royal Opera House in the Extra Chorus, and will be working there in a rehearsal today.  And the lady so closely associated with all this, was the kind of person who when she came to dinner at my house, stayed till midnight chatting about men and relationships and things, girlie talk between a 30 yr old and a 90 year old!

 

OK? Steven?  Lots of love J, good luck and see you there.