Of course I'm worked up! [and here it comes, the shouting] The man was nothing but an irritation! He was highly unprofessional! We were not at the rehearsal for two minutes only to find him horsing about with his to-be-wife rather than conducting rehearsal! He insulted Rosenberg, mocked him in front of everyone when the Emperor's Steward was rightly aggravated about the state of the rehearsal!

Then he has the audacity to tell me that I am supposedly a musician--supposedly! I am the assistant Kapellmeister at the Emperor's opera house! That cretin only got his commission because I told His Majesty that he was talented!

And then--then! He goes on to play the most sublime, the most beautiful, rich, lyrical, heartrending music that I---