Reflections On Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Since the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, many musicians and directors have been writing about her love of opera, none more movingly perhaps than Francesca Zambello in The New York Times. Our story is only tangentially to do with music but is very personal nonetheless.

David Bowles and me at the Santa Fe Opera on August 17, 2013

On August 15th 2013, David and I got married in Oakland, California. The following day we flew to New Mexico for a weekend honeymoon at the Bishop’s Lodge near Santa Fe. A highlight of the trip was an evening at the Santa Fe Opera, but, little did we know that that evening, we would have a wonderful surprise. In the interval, we were invited to the Opera Club, which as always was full of people chatting about the show and giving their views of it. Then, all of a sudden, conversation ceased as if someone had waved a magic wand, and into the room came our friend Susan Graham, who was starring in The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein that season, with Ruth Bader Ginsburg. As many people know, Susan is tall and she towered over the Justice, small and delicate as a hummingbird, but it was the latter’s charisma that hushed the crowd. She was dressed in the simplest pleated white silk blouse and, unlike the rest of the opera crowd, she only wore a little jewelry. She didn’t need gaudy glitz to make an impression, nor did she have to try.

Susan introduced us to the Justice and David thanked her for making our marriage possible. She was quiet and gracious with a charming smile. I have been in the presence of several European royals but she outshone them all.

Here is David to finish the story:

After I thanked Justice Ginsburg, she giggled without replying. As I was turning to leave, someone tapped me on the shoulder and asked if I would like to be interviewed about this. What a surprise! I gave the gentleman my card and didn’t think much about this until I got a call after returning home. It turns out that he, Robert Barnes, was writing a feature article in the Washington Post Sunday magazine, reprinted in the Santa Fe newspaper as well. We spoke at length, and what I remember telling him was that “of course, all of us knew that Justice Ginsburg didn’t write the majority opinion for Obergefell v. Hodges. However, she is our symbolic Jewish mother looking out for our collective good”.

Here is an extract from Mr. Barnes piece in the Post. It isn't quite accurate since we had no idea that she would be there.

“Ginsburg did not write either of the court’s same-sex marriage decisions — the other allowed such unions to resume in California — but seems to have become identified with them. In Santa Fe, David Bowles, a recording producer from California, bought a ticket to the performance in the hope of a chance encounter, and it paid off when he approached Ginsburg in the Opera Club. ‘I got married on Thursday because of you,’ he told her, and introduced his husband, Nicholas McGegan.”