Recently an interesting performance flier arrived on my desk. It had originally been sent out by Andrew Grossman of Columbia Artists Management, Inc., New York, to various theater promoters and universities across North America. A friend who had seen it forwarded it to me. The heading of the flier read "The Tibetan Song and Dance Ensemble from the Snow Fields of China; A Company of 60."

Who and what is this group? The program notes explain that it is comprised of lamas and laypeople from "China's Tibet," on a goodwill cultural outing. The notes list the items to be included in the performance, but do not provide any other background information.

I was curious, checked a promoters directory for the Columbia Artists phone number, and gave a call to the Washington office to request a press package. The secretary gave me Andrew Grossman's number in New York (it was not included in the flier), and I dialed his office.

When I mentioned wanting a press kit on "The Tibetan Song and Dance Ensemble from the Snow Fields of China," Grossman's assistant snapped at me, "Who are you and what is this about?"

"A writer of books on Tibet and a promoter of Tibet events," I replied. "

"Mr. Grossman does not grant interviews to the press," came the curt reply. I pointed out that I was not interested in getting a press interview, but would like some information on the troupe, and on the dates they would be in America.

Grossman's assistant hang up on me without a further word. It seems rather obvious that China's propaganda agency is up to its old tricks again. Three times in the past it has sent groups from Tibet to the West; each of these have backfired on them, and just further intensified Western awareness of the illegal Chinese occupation of Tibet. Two of the three tours were cancelled after the first few performances. As one newspaper wrote, "It is a bit like Hitler sending a Jewish goodwill troupe abroad while holding their families hostage back in Germany." The Western press was not impressed, and China backed down after the flack began to hit the fan.

But judging from several museum bookings that have already been confirmed, it seems that this time China is confident that they can succeed by throwing a few million dollars into the effort, deploying an extraordinarily large group (sixty artists), and hiring a large New York firm to represent them.

One museum Events Director in California, who had already booked the troupe, seemed genuinely surprised to learn that it was from occupied Tibet, and was rather distressed to hear that the arrival of the troupe would be controvertial: that anti-China protests would mark the event, and that most Americans would perceive support given to a Chinese undertaking of this nature as representing support for China's occupation of Tibet and their violation of human rights in "The Snow Fields of China." He exclaimed, "Oh dear, and we've already signed a contract. I wonder how we can get out of it."

Perhaps A. Rosenthal should give a call to Andrew Grossman's office in New York (212-841-9558) and see what the secrecy is all about. Presumably my call met with such a rude response because Grossman's office plans to keep everything as quiet as possible until sufficient venues have been locked in with iron-clad contracts, which would mean that anyone cancelling would be liable for a large cancellation fee, putting organizers between a rock and a hard place. A promoter who is unwilling to even discuss sending out a press kit on an event they are organizing, to discuss dates, or to "grant interviews with the media," is certainly suspect of dubious motives. Most promoters are very eager to get word of their events out to the public.

I phoned back to Mr. Grossman's office and was received by the same voice. "Sir," I said to him, "I think you've grabbed a tiger by the tail." He hung up on me for a second time.