A reader’s garland

THANK you, Jack Moore of Palm Springs, for the first-hand information of Judy Garland’s performing at the Metropolitan Opera House in 1959 [Letters, July 16]. When I read the Barbara Cook article [“Cook Has a Way With (Others’) Words,� July 9] it crossed my mind that Judy had performed there and I might even have a review in my scrapbooks. I didn’t research that, but Moore’s letter clarified the fact for me. Does Sid Luft’s renting the building take away from the fact that Judy performed there? I think not.

After reading Moore’s letter, I looked up a tape I have of a tribute to Judy. This is Alan King speaking -- “We opened at the Metropolitan Opera House ... I had escorted her to her dressing room, Robert Merrill’s dressing room. He had appeared the night before ... I heard this roar (you know Judy was strange at times) ... I rush into the dressing room ... and there in soap on the mirror it says, ‘Judy, break a leg. Don’t pee in my sink.’ Nobody could laugh like Judy!�

DIANE BARRIE

Torrance