The intensity never lets up. An almighty rumpus breaks out at Glyndebourne. Normally, everyone in the orchestra sorts out their Glyndebourne schedules in November. Back in the autumn, Tom had drawn a Jenufa solo. Now, all of a sudden, the producer of Don Giovanni lets it be known that he doesn't want any women in his on-stage bands, citing the fact that there wouldn't have been any in Mozart's day.
Confusion is caused by the production being partly in modern dress.
Tom gives fellow violinist Cathy Craig his Jenufa slot and finds himself in Don Giovanni with the prospect of walking on to a stage in a costume for the first time ever. For just one minute on stage he will get paid nearly double his normal evening fee. Now he and his girlfriend, Imke, arrive to stay with us while they house hunt. Imke has no job as yet and they are determined to live in Islington. We fear they're in for a shock here, arriving from a spacious pad in central Berlin, within cycling distance of all the necessary venues.