me, Herr Schmedes?’
The tenor’s head rocked backwards and forwards.
‘Very good,’ said Liebermann. ‘Now, I want you to listen to me very carefully. You have nothing to fear. Nothing, do you understand? As I speak, your fear will melt away, like ice in sunlight. And when the fear is gone, you will feel strong and confident. If you sing the role of Rienzi tonight, no one will follow you after the performance, no one will attack you. The supporters of Hermann Winkelmann did not want you to sing this evening, but Herr Winkelmann is ill, and now the Hermann-Bündler cannot possibly object to you taking his place. None will argue that Herr Winkelmann has been treated disrespectfully. You will sing the role of Rienzi, tonight, because there is no-one else who can do so. It is perfectly safe for you to sing. Repeat after me: it is perfectly safe for me to sing.’
‘It is perfectly safe for me to sing,’ mumbled Schmedes.
‘ I have nothing to fear.’
‘Nothing to fear.’
‘Excellent.’ Liebermann gripped the singer’s shoulder. ‘Do not worry about the Hermann-Bündler , Herr Schmedes. They are not important. Only your admirers are important. You must not let them down. You are Erik Schmedes – the great Schmedes – giant of the north. Your Tristan was a triumph! How the critics praised your sensitivity and intelligence! How they marvelled at the phrasing and expression of your cantilena . And how they will praise you again, after you give them an unforgettable Rienzi tonight! You will be the toast of Vienna.’
‘The toast of Vienna,’ echoed Schmedes, before adding, rather unexpectedly: ‘Giant of the north.’
Shaking Schmedes’s shoulder in the spirit of manly brotherhood, Liebermann continued, ‘You are feeling full of vigour, fit and healthy, strong as an ox, eager to take to the stage.’
The young doctor paused and watched with satisfaction as Schmedes’s chest expanded and his expression set in an attitude of stoic rigidity.
‘Listen carefully, Herr Schmedes. Very soon you will awaken from this sleep, fully restored. But you will remember nothing of our conversation. Do you understand?
‘I understand.’
‘Good. Now, on the count of three, you must open your eyes. One, waking , two, waking , three! You are awake!’
Liebermann removed his hand from the tenor’s shoulder.
Schmedes blinked a few times and then turned to face Liebermann. ‘Ah, the metronome has stopped. What a shame, I thought I was drifting off just then. The slow beat was certainly helping. Never mind, perhaps we can conduct this experiment another time. I am afraid I must hurry home. You see, I have an opera to perform this evening.’ Schmedes stood up, straightened his jacket and addressed Mahler. ‘This has been very interesting, Herr Director, but I really must be going.’
The director stepped aside and allowed Schmedes to open the door.
‘Schmedes?’ said the director.
‘Yes?’
‘You were worried about that letter.’
‘Oh yes,’ said Schmedes. ‘How stupid of me. Yes, I was being foolish – you were quite right. It’s perfectly safe for me to sing. I have nothing to fear. And I have my public to consider. They will be expecting another Tristan and I do not intend to disappoint them! Goodbye, Herr Director.’
And with that the singer departed, slamming the door behind him. The company listened to him running down the stairs, singing the overture to Lohengrin .
‘Well,’ said Mahler. ‘That was quite remarkable. I am mostimpressed, Herr Doctor. Please forgive me for the impatience I displayed earlier.’
Liebermann stood up and inclined his head.
‘Now that Doctor Liebermann has dealt with your crisis,’ said Rheinhardt, ‘could we resume our interview?’
‘With pleasure,’ said Mahler, laughing out loud. ‘With great pleasure.’
9
‘D O YOU REALISE HOW many people work here, Inspector?’ said the director. ‘There are the principal performers, several choruses,
The tenor’s head rocked backwards and forwards.
‘Very good,’ said Liebermann. ‘Now, I want you to listen to me very carefully. You have nothing to fear. Nothing, do you understand? As I speak, your fear will melt away, like ice in sunlight. And when the fear is gone, you will feel strong and confident. If you sing the role of Rienzi tonight, no one will follow you after the performance, no one will attack you. The supporters of Hermann Winkelmann did not want you to sing this evening, but Herr Winkelmann is ill, and now the Hermann-Bündler cannot possibly object to you taking his place. None will argue that Herr Winkelmann has been treated disrespectfully. You will sing the role of Rienzi, tonight, because there is no-one else who can do so. It is perfectly safe for you to sing. Repeat after me: it is perfectly safe for me to sing.’
‘It is perfectly safe for me to sing,’ mumbled Schmedes.
‘ I have nothing to fear.’
‘Nothing to fear.’
‘Excellent.’ Liebermann gripped the singer’s shoulder. ‘Do not worry about the Hermann-Bündler , Herr Schmedes. They are not important. Only your admirers are important. You must not let them down. You are Erik Schmedes – the great Schmedes – giant of the north. Your Tristan was a triumph! How the critics praised your sensitivity and intelligence! How they marvelled at the phrasing and expression of your cantilena . And how they will praise you again, after you give them an unforgettable Rienzi tonight! You will be the toast of Vienna.’
‘The toast of Vienna,’ echoed Schmedes, before adding, rather unexpectedly: ‘Giant of the north.’
Shaking Schmedes’s shoulder in the spirit of manly brotherhood, Liebermann continued, ‘You are feeling full of vigour, fit and healthy, strong as an ox, eager to take to the stage.’
The young doctor paused and watched with satisfaction as Schmedes’s chest expanded and his expression set in an attitude of stoic rigidity.
‘Listen carefully, Herr Schmedes. Very soon you will awaken from this sleep, fully restored. But you will remember nothing of our conversation. Do you understand?
‘I understand.’
‘Good. Now, on the count of three, you must open your eyes. One, waking , two, waking , three! You are awake!’
Liebermann removed his hand from the tenor’s shoulder.
Schmedes blinked a few times and then turned to face Liebermann. ‘Ah, the metronome has stopped. What a shame, I thought I was drifting off just then. The slow beat was certainly helping. Never mind, perhaps we can conduct this experiment another time. I am afraid I must hurry home. You see, I have an opera to perform this evening.’ Schmedes stood up, straightened his jacket and addressed Mahler. ‘This has been very interesting, Herr Director, but I really must be going.’
The director stepped aside and allowed Schmedes to open the door.
‘Schmedes?’ said the director.
‘Yes?’
‘You were worried about that letter.’
‘Oh yes,’ said Schmedes. ‘How stupid of me. Yes, I was being foolish – you were quite right. It’s perfectly safe for me to sing. I have nothing to fear. And I have my public to consider. They will be expecting another Tristan and I do not intend to disappoint them! Goodbye, Herr Director.’
And with that the singer departed, slamming the door behind him. The company listened to him running down the stairs, singing the overture to Lohengrin .
‘Well,’ said Mahler. ‘That was quite remarkable. I am mostimpressed, Herr Doctor. Please forgive me for the impatience I displayed earlier.’
Liebermann stood up and inclined his head.
‘Now that Doctor Liebermann has dealt with your crisis,’ said Rheinhardt, ‘could we resume our interview?’
‘With pleasure,’ said Mahler, laughing out loud. ‘With great pleasure.’
9
‘D O YOU REALISE HOW many people work here, Inspector?’ said the director. ‘There are the principal performers, several choruses,
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