Kleiber: An Appreciation

Extract

Kleiber had a reputation as a tyrant and a terror of Intendants. It may be that by the time he first came to Co vent Garden, which was in the 1950–51 season, he had mellowed, for the impression remaining with me was of a very impish kind of humour. I remember well sitting with him in an hotel in Switzerland. We had been negotiating for his coming to London. “There is just one other thing I would like to mention,” I said, “you have a great reputation for rows. By all means let's have a row at Covent Garden if it's really necessary, but otherwise don't let's have them. I hate rows.” He paused for a moment, then a great smile came over his face: “I don't think I make rows, but maybe it is true to say that where I am rows seem to be!” And although on another occasion he said “If there is not a row I make one” we never had a quarrel with him at Covent Garden.