Stolyarsky lived in a building with a steep marble staircase. One time I was leaving with a classmate, Edgar Ortenberg, who later played in the Budapest Quartet. Stolyarsky had rewarded us for a good lesson with tickets to I Pagliacci at the Odessa opera, and Ortenberg was so happy with the honour, he bounced around on the stairs and banged against my shoulder. I fell down the stairs and cracked my left temple. Blood was pouring down my face, but I kept smiling. Dr. Auslender sewed up the gash. I got to see I Pagliacci at a later performance, with Caruso. He was short, fat, and sang deafeningly loudly. << less