The Heir Apparent

The year is 1938 in British India, and our story takes place in the picturesque city of Ranchipur, presently sweltering under the heat, with locals praying for much needed rains and relief. In this scenario we have an elegant Maharaja, Man Singh Bahadur, and his astute and wise wife, the Maharani of Ranchipur; a perpetual drunk and womanizer, Tom Ransome, who is presently courting an 18 year old runaway from the local Mission by the name of Fern; Lord Albert Esketh, and his wife, Edwina, a former lover of Tom, who are on a visit to Ranchipur, and wish to purchase some of the Maharaja's horses; Then there is Dr. Major Rama Safti, a Hindu who is currently having an affair with Lord Albert's wife, and who is the heir apparent to the throne of Ranchipur. All plans of the citizens of Ranchipur are cut short with heavy incessant rains, followed by earthquakes, flooding, polluted waters, and then - plague. And as well we all know disasters and disease have never discriminated against the Christians or Hindus; the Caucasians or the Asians; nor between the rich and the poor.

"From his first meeting with Copland, Bernstein regarded November 14 as a lucky date: and so it proved to be again in 1943… In August 1943 Artur Rodzinsky, the new music director of the New York Philharmonic, named Bernstein assistant conductor. On Sunday, November 14, 1943, guest conductor Bruno Walter fell ill. Bernstein was awakened that morning with the news that he would have to conduct the concert - on a national radio broadcast - without benefit of a rehearsal. As they say, the rest is history. Bu Monday, Leonard Bernstein was the heir apparent, the American most likely to success as a conductor in his own country, where the field was still dominated by foreign-born musicians"

Steven Ledbetter