His Final Bow

On Sunday, December 10, my husband took his final bow after conducting his last (the 70th!) performance of Handel’s Messiah. 

“I wanted to go out on [Messiah] for a number of reasons,” Barry writes in a letter to his singers and former singers.  “I have always felt that the Chapel represented the heart and soul of the Naval Academy. It’s a great heroic space, a wonderful place in which to make music on a big scale, a larger-than-life event.  The fact that the program doesn't change means that generations of mids and audiences share a common experience that hasn’t altered much over the years, except that we have gotten better supporting instrumentalists and soloists in recent years than in the earlier days. 

“And I wanted to go out on a program that involves our men and women, because I wanted so much to see the women achieve a measure of success approaching that of the guys.  This is happening at the Academy, but it is happening very slowly, and it's largely a reflection of the relative sizes of the talent pools.  If you're one of the girls, know that your success is really important to me, but I want you to succeed on your own terms, not as some sort of honorary guy.  Enough of politics.

“The Messiah was sold out as it has been for many, many years; it sold out in about a week, and yet we keep this concert a virtual secret.  Imagine that — a concert that sells 4000 tickets without telling anyone.  I know it's listed on a few community calendars, but by the time they come out, the tickets are gone.  That’s what I call a popular concert.   For many years now, we've been performing with members of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra — a professional orchestra — and they love the experience. The energy and passion of the mids is contagious, and the orchestra plays with such heart as a result, it's truly inspiring.

"Several years ago, we became the recipients of a very generous grant that provides underwriting for our soloists such that we can attract the top soloists from the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.  They're literally the best in the world, and the soloists this year were among my favorites from the past 10 years.  They, like the orchestra, are captivated by the midshipmen, the Chapel, the whole exciting, electric thing; and every one of them brought friends and family.  This is an interesting point.  During the past year, our soloists have performed all over the world with the greatest conductors, orchestras, and opera companies of our time, yet this is the performance that they want to share with friends and family.  That's a powerful affirmation that what we do here is really special, even for those performing at the highest professional levels, so all of you who have been singing, know that you have been part of something that is well known and well appreciated even at the Metropolitan Opera.

"The social events held this December in honor of my retirement were two:  a small but star-studded dinner hosted by the Superintendent in Buchanan House that included the Chief of Naval Operations, the Secretary of the Navy, the Navy Inspector General, the Academic Dean and other distinguished guests; and following the Sunday performance, a very fancy banquet hosted by the Naval Academy with major league food and drink — open bar, always dangerous with our singers — a string quartet for very civilized background music, speeches by former Mids, the Supe, my old and dear friend, Professor David White, with whom I did so many musicals; Monte Maxwell, my successor as Chairman; all spoke very emotionally.  I was presented with several awards, including a commendation from the President, the Distinguished Civilian medal from the SecNav, an official Naval Academy chair, a check (I have your names, and thanks to you, Marcia and I will embark on a Queen Mary Atlantic transit), some wonderful "Memory Books" containing mementos culled from hundreds of photographs and letters from Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush I, Clinton, Bush II, Rickover, Perot, Arleigh Burke, Sinatra, Carson, former Supes and ‘Dants,) and programs from high level events and photographs from those same events, really a remarkable collection.  Those in attendance at this event wore about 40 stars — this is my cumulative Admiral/General count — and many dear and close friends and family.  Daughter Laura, husband David, and Ben, Jon and Abby; Sarah (the youngest of the Talley daughters) came all the way from Jakarta with Thomas (3 years) and Joseph (5 weeks) to be a part of it, and there was a major exodus eastward of my brothers and sisters from Texas. 

If words are not enough, check out:  Barry's Retirement Photo Album

"In spite of all the festivities, for me the great moment(s) were, as always, the soaring of the spirit in the music of the Messiah; and this time, it took on a little added passion with everyone really striving for the finest they could achieve.  You all know when that happens, it transcends the ordinary. There could be no finer, more joyous, or more noble way to take a last bow, than with this great work sung by the great midshipmen choruses, in the Chapel.  What a way to go!  Those who have sung it I know understand.  That performance can be a transforming event, and none of us are quite the same after singing it together."

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Fred Cohrs, a varsity singer from Barry's first year, 1971-1972, has posted  Messiah Photos and Audio Clips for those of you who missed (or would like to revisit) the performance.

On December 27, Barry and I will begin working our way down the intracoastal waterway aboard Troubadour with a target of Ft Lauderdale.  We'll wait there for a good weather window, then cross the Gulf Stream heading for the Bahamas. 

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If you live along the route, come sail with us for a day or so, or let us know where you are, and we'll get together either on the boat or at your place, and raise a glass and share a memory or two.