davidmusic

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"The Sound of Music:
The Mysterious Stranger From Dorian's Past Had All of Llanview Dancing To His Tune"

Soap Opera's Greatest Stories and Stars
December 1983

Dorian was taking her position as Llanview's Woman of the Year seriously. She would obtain the finest possible conductor for Llanview's Symphony Orchestra. It would raise the level of culture in the community, and would be Dorian's social coup of the season. Little did she know that the finest possible conductor was no stranger, but a man Dorian had once known - intimately!

The famous pianist David Renaldi had completed yet another triumphant tour of Europe. But sitting in his agent's office, the handsome Renaldi dropped a bombshell: "I was terrible in that last concert," he said bitterly. "Nonsense," his agent answered, "you sounded as good as ever." "To you, perhaps" David answered, "but I know my time as a concert pianist is ending. I would like to turn my talents to other things. I would like to conduct." Scott, David's agent, had heard of the search for a conductor in Llanview. He mentioned it to David, expecting him to reject the idea of working in such a small town. But, to his surprise, David answered eagerly that it would be the perfect place to sharpen his conducting skills, and polish up his own compositions for their premieres. Scott agreed to set up an interview with Vicky, who was in New York handling the initial interviews for the position.

David succeeded in utterly charming Vicky with his combination of humor and outrageous ego. Vicky, favorably impressed by both his manner and by an impromptu concert performed solely for her benefit, recommended him highly to Dorian.

"Well, naturally I should have to meet him," Dorian told Herb. She didn't realize that meeting Dorian didn't fit in with David's plans. "I will not speak to * Mrs. Callison until I have signed the contract," David told Scott. "You're jeopardizing your chances for the job," Scott objected, "and for no good reason." But David was adamant. He went so far as to hire a down and out opera singer to impersonate him in a New York restaurant, so he could avoid meeting Dorian. When the opera singer made a fool of himself, David instructed Scott to apologize, to inform Dorian that it was an imposter who held a grudge against David. Dorian reluctantly accepted the apology, but she was deeply moved when David sent her the manuscript for a new piece of music, Dorian. Dorian was so flattered, she agreed to signing David as the conductor without ever meeting the man face to face.

David flew to Llanview seated behind a pair of young girls apparently returning from Europe. "Can you believe Cassie?" one of them giggled, as David listened with interest, "going off to Paris without telling her parents?" "She's going to get into trouble," the other predicted, and laughed in turn. David smiled slightly to himself.

In Llanview, David still managed to elude Dorian, although she made several attempts to meet him. Finally, she took matters into her own hands.

Dorian planned a huge party to celebrate David Renaldi's triumphant arrival in Llanview to take on the baton of the town's symphony orchestra. She ordered a piano to be set up in the lobby of her home in case Renaldi should decide to play. All in all, Herb decided, Dorian was more excited than he'd seen her in years.

The cream of Llanview's society was attending Dorian's party. Bo and Delilah Buchanan, Brad Vernon and his fiancé Jenny, even Asa and his soon-to-be-bride Becky Lee Abbott. The guest of honor, not realizing that the party would be quite as large as it turned out to be, arrived fashionably late. "Who are all these people?" he demanded. When informed that they were all guests, he paled. "I must speak to Mrs. Callison privately," he said. At that moment, Dorian caught sight of him.

Dorian froze. Her cheerful, animated manner disappeared in a moment. She received David icily. "You!" she seethed. "Get out of my house! How dare you come here?!" Before he could say anything, Herb came over and swept him into the crowd. David entertained the rest of the guests with his anecdotes, while Dorian glared at him from a corner.

"Would you play for us?" one of the guests asked. The suggestion was seconded by a round of applause. David sat down at the piano to play.

"I'm afraid," Dorian said shrilly, "that the piano is nothing but a prop. It hasn't been tuned. I wouldn't dream of having Mr. Renaldi attempt to play it." David looked at her curiously, but agreed that it would be an inauspicious debut. The party broke up quickly.

"Dorian," Herb said as the last of the guests departed. "What's the matter with you? I happen to know that you got that piano especially for the party, and that you made sure it was perfectly tuned. Why did you lie?" "Oh, just leave me alone," Dorian insisted.

Dorian couldn't tell her husband that David Renaldi was no stranger. She'd known him some seventeen years ago, when he was known as David Reynolds. He and Dr. Dorian Cramer had had an affair - David Renaldi was Cassie's father!

Dorian couldn't believe how she'd been manipulated into hiring David sight unseen. But she couldn't help thinking about David. He was still handsome, and charming, and she couldn't help dreaming of a reconciliation. Though Herb was still the man she loved - Dorian was being drawn to her long-ago lover! *

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Truly Madly Deeply:
Memories of David and Jenny