falstaff is a miracle of libretto and storyline, of , of masteryiration of every detail of compositionin a class with figaro and meistersinger, which are perhaps the other two that are most perfect. i don't need them to be perfect. i love a lot of pieces that are theperfect and those are creme de la creme of operatic comedy, which is striking because 80% of operatic repertoire is grandiose, tragic, melodramatic, somebody dies. in these pieces, the human and through aer lot of circumstances which they play seriously but we find very funny. >> who else has been instrumental in terms of helping , the music anda become up being a mentor to you? who have been the men who have helped you understand the limitless potential of music? >> is a long list, charlie. it is a long list of official whohers, like george szell was my mentor, wolfganag vacano starting in 1962. from the time i was 10 or 11, i had walter levine with all the everything, for theory, for harmony for style. even coached me on the instrument, playing chamber music with his students. it was an unbelievable education of the kinds

all the human comedies, with or above the best of them is falstaff, falstaff is just a miracle of libretton, of master, mastery of every detail of composition. it's in a class of figero a&m istro singer which are the other two that are near perfect. i don't need them to be perfect. i love a lot of pieces that aren't perfect. those are just the creme de la creme of operatic comedy. which is striking because 80% of operatic repertoire is grandios, tragic, melodramatic, you know, somebody dies. in these pieces the human beings get wiser and through a lot of circumstances which they play seriously but we find very funny. >> rose: who else has been instrumental in terms of helping you appreciate a, the music, and b being instructed to you, mentored to you, or in opening distance to you. who are the men and women who have been there that have helped you understand all the limitless potential of music. >> boy, it's a long list, charlie. and it is, it's a long list of official teachers, like george zell who was my ten tore there, wolf pang picano who broke up the idea of having an assistant in the