I had the opportunity to have front row seats at her concert with the Brevard Festival Orchestra on 7/12/01.The Festival Orchestra under the direction of Effron opened with 2 orchestral works.Battle turned to Mozart with Exultate, jubilate, KV 165. It was like her vocal and physical beauty were unscathed by time!Battle returned and concluded with 4 Spirituals arr by H Smith. She brought the house down! Effron Kissed a her on the cheek and the president of the Center presented her with a large bouguet of flowers of which she removed the Center Rose and gave it to Effron.Due to the demand of the audience she sang several encores.each meaning to be the last one but the audience wanted more.She sounds well as she ever did.I had the opportunity to go backstage and she was so nice and generous. She signed an autograph for me as she did many others and spoke to me.Her fans adore her. She is a beautiful person inside and out

Patrick D. McCoy
McCoy_442@msn.com

Two days later she failed to even fulfill her concert obligation to a second audience (actually first since they were season ticket holders and the sell-out crowd that caused the earlier concert to be scheduled on 7-12). Many had bought tickets much earlier and had come long distances but in the first part of the concert, we waited and waited only to hear that Miss Battle would sing in the second part of the concert after the intermission and some Bernstein numbers. (next message)

When the Bernstein was finished, there was a wait and she finally made it onto the stage then turned her back for a long time as if in tears. Finally turned back and did sing the first of 4 spirituals on the program - more back turning or standing head to head with the director, then finally she finished all 4 spirituals. The audience waited for the Mozart portion of the program - much awkward waiting - the orchestra began to leave the stage - much puzzlement!!

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Finally she tried to speak to the audience but there was no microphone so the conductor relayed something about her wanting to sing for us but had a "heavy heart". After more waiting she sang 4 more spirituals a capella. Much of the audience had left disgustedly. There had been booing and questions called as to "When the Mozart?" In the midst of one song about "music" we all heard honks from a departing auto and she motioned to it and inserted "That's not music" which created a bit of a laugh. Thus ended the concert.

Later we became informed from various sources that her "heavy heart" had come from an incident where she had purchased an item at an antique mall in Brevard but some remark had been made that caused her to feel she wanted to return to the store and take the item back. They have a "no return" policy plainly in view and would not accept the item.

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A confrontation ensued which eventually caused police to be called although no charges were filed evidently.

Her concert behavior left a lot people puzzled and disappointed over not hearing much of her program. Because of this "incident" she acted as if she was so upset that she totally ignored her obligations and shortchanged a sold-out audience in what they had come to hear. Her voice and her person are lovely, but they are sadly overshadowed by her lack of maturity, sense of responsibility and professionalism.

I'm afraid I just read a story about the incident at http://www.wgms.com/classnoted.shtm.

Unfortunate.