Anne Willett

Have also now spoken to Anne Willett, John's widow. She's made great progress with the Paul Dessau music. She has spoken to Henschel Verlag and Zurkampf Verlag in Germany today and we should be getting word of the rights and the actual score (plus CD) within days.

Obviously, because she is talking to them, the cost of the rights may be at a fair rate, bearing in mind out limited budget. I certainly hope so.

I also think it's a must to invite Anne to come and talk to us for an hour or so. Just chatting over the phone just now, she's got some great stories about her and John going over to Berlin in the early 1950's to meet Brecht, Helena Weigel and the Berliner Ensemble...

I've suggested a date really early on in the rehearsal period. Maybe even the afternoon of the 6th February. She's getting back to me.

She also said that a guy called Tom Kuhn is doing a lecture, early in Feb about Brecht. He's taken over John Willett's role as Brecth-Promoter-in-Chief, English Branch (hand-picked by John before he died). Anne is getting back to me about where and when this lecture is.

Tamara and Kharis also note that by making a link with The Goethe Institute and/or the Austrian Institute with regard to such events, we may also be able to boost substantially our audiences....