Catastrophic dress rehearsal. Ridiculous spoken preamble by me for the invited lady Friends of City Center. Margo, vocal cords frozen, with anticipation, merely mouthed her role, while Donald's decapitation of the bird caused laughter and had to be restaged. Question of firing the conductor (Rudel, at this late date, envisaged memorizing he score himself overnight), but settled instead for an extra orchestra rehearsal tomorrow afternoon. Kenward and I profoundly dissatisfied with the gauche lighting, The printed libretto arrived, seething with errors. (Boosey & Hawkes has hired JA to design the covers; for this purpose he has brought a canary which he intends to photograph - after wringing its neck.) The fact of a lousy dress rehearsal does not - despite Broadway superstitions - indicate a glorious gala. Tuxedo back from cleaners. In twenty-four hours it will be all over except for the party. << less