A tribute to a maestro

Cliff Buchler writes:

I was saddened to read about the passing of Weiss Doubell, former managing director of the then Roodepoort Civic Theatre and conductor of the Promusica orchestra. It was appropriate for the news to have been announced in the Record, as Weiss was constantly on its front pages during my tenure on the newspaper.

Our relationship at first was a see-saw of differing viewpoints about what type of productions Roodepoorters would appreciate. Opera was not one of them. Or so I opined. The reaction to my critique that the operas he performed were “too heavy for a mining town accustomed to biltong, braaivleis and Chevrolet” had Weiss frothing at the mouth. The froth spilled over into a scathing letter to the “dumb” editor, which I ran on the front page under the headline, “Doubell fights back”. The story reached erstwhile mayor, the inimitable Dave Trelevyn, who entered the hot debate, at first agreeing with Doubell, and taking umbrage at my description of Roodepoort being a mining town. Ironically, Roodepoort had just been proclaimed a city.

I continued to attend the opera productions, despite Weiss giving me a wide berth in the foyer afterwards. He appointed a public relations person, well-known actor and entrepreneur, Jakkie Groenewald, to liaise with me, sparing him the discomfort of meeting with the ignorant editor.

The mayor felt “uncomfortable” about our soured relationship, after all, as he put it during an unexpected visit to our Witpoortjie offices,  the theatre needs the newspaper and the people need the theatre”. He subsequently arranged a lunch at the Civic Restaurant at which Weiss and I were his “special” guests.

At first the atmosphere was tense, but after a few sips of good reds, a splendid meal, and more sips, abundantly provided by restaurateur Al Joyce, a truce was verbally signed between the two sondebokke”. Weiss continued with his operas, some of which I thoroughly enjoyed. But there were others that I, as a biltong and braaivleis man, found totally boring, with musical scores that came nothing near country and western. The one entitled Der Freishutz (TheMarksman) I felt was particular sombre and out of touch with reality. But I thought it prudent not to write about it – for the sake of a treaty built on a solid friendship and good red wine. But a problem crept in.

Thankfully not my doing. In the advertisement announcing the piece, it was (appropriately – to me, that is) spelt Der Freishits.

RIP Weiss.