I remember taking the old warhorse, “Una Voce Poco Fa,” from Il Barbiere (Rossini) to three of the greatest living singing masters in Italy.

Their music frightful as the serpent’s hiss, And boding screech-owls make the concert full!

That my own son could have done something so horrible is a hard pill to swallow.

A spruce young lieutenant came over, saluted and clambered into the back of our jeep, and we were off.