Diamanda Galás, the powerful vocalist whose avant-garde compositions cry out for humanity, has penned a letter condemning Lauren Pazienza, the woman who last year killed Galás’ friend, Barbara Gustern. Gustern was a beloved, New York City vocal coach who tutored not only Galás but Debbie Harry, Kathleen Hanna, Taylor Mac, and many others.
A judge last month sentenced the 27-year-old Pazienza, who fatally shoved the 87-year-old Gustern while attempting to get a taxi, to eight years in prison followed by five years of supervision after she pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter.
“The punishment of Lauren Pazienza was the presumed natural lifespan — minus time lived — of the murdered Barbara Maier, minus the time-served of the killer: EIGHT YEARS,” Galás wrote in an open letter posted to Facebook. “This means Barbara’s probable age ceiling was counted as 100 years old. Outliving the age ceiling is considered greed. And an 87-year-old woman hailing a taxi that a young, up-and-coming 23-year-old wanted is just considered ‘greed.’ And that is why Barbara Maier was executed, just like ‘the old’ in nursing homes who were murdered by the state-mandated importation of Covid patients into their residencies.”
In the note, she describes Gustern’s lust for life. “Barbara Maier Gustern taught the voice eight hours a day and then coached singers on Broadway; after this, she worked with Austin Pendleton and Barbara Bleier on new plays,” she wrote. “At night, she attended faithfully the concerts of her pupils with great joy and vigor. In between lessons, she would walk for miles while shopping, banking, going to the gym, and visiting friends.” Galás contrasts this with what she has read about the killer. “Lauren Pazienza was notorious for bullying, it was later learned,” she wrote.
Galás also lambasted select media outlets for fetishizing the murder and describing Pazienza as a “fiery redhead” and Gustern as a grandmother. “Barbara Maier Gustern was famous!” she wrote. “Her clients were famous! They worshipped her! Whoever heard of the big-titted sow Lauren Pazienza? No one. And now that she looks like an advertisement for Oscar Meyer, I am tenderly reminded of Lord of the Flies.
“I encourage the future prison-mates of Ms. Pazienza to read up on her ahead of her residence in their facility,” she continued. “They will certainly want to instruct her in the rehabilitation our fine prisons have offered them. No luxury should be spared.”
Gustern died on March 5, 2022, after Pazienza attacked her in a fit of unprovoked rage, calling the vocal coach “a bitch.” Pazienza, who lived in Queens, then went home to her parents’ house on Long Island. Her father is a cesspool magnate.
“[Gustern] was 4’11” and probably weighed 70 pounds,” Harry told Rolling Stone last year. “She had the body of a child, but she was a dynamo in this little, tiny body. It was just astounding.”
“I never thought of her as tiny because she seemed massive,” Hanna said. “She had this massive personality.”
Last month, Harry gave a statement to Rolling Stone criticizing Pazienza’s eight-year sentence. “It’s incomprehensible that proper justice for her murder was not delivered,” she said. “The city’s failure to administer adequate punishment — settling for a plea deal that will likely see Lauren Pazienza serve less than eight years for murder — is a disservice to Barbara and the contributions she made to this city. It falls far short of a deserving consequence and fitting penalty. … This is not an appropriate punishment for murder in my mind.”
Read Diamanda Galás’ full statement:
TWICE EXECUTED: THE SLAUGHTER OF BARBARA MAIER GUSTERN
by Diamanda Galás
September 4th, 2023
A name can be erased forever. An original name can be hidden beneath the appellation of a stigma.
The stigma might be a physical and/or mental disease, or it might be the condition of a body which has been damaged through trauma. With the passing of time, a stigma may be perceived as less onerous, less dangerous, and the sufferers treated with more humanity.
There are exceptions.
Over a year ago, one of NYC’s great teachers of the voice, Barbara Maier Gustern, was executed by a sociopath in a nice dress.
Barbara Maier was executed first for being “in the way.” And her fine name was executed repeatedly for the same reason.
She did not die as an “outstanding teacher of the voice.” She died under the appellation of “granny,” “grandmother,” and “frail old lady.” She was flattened onto the pavement into obscurity by the sociopath in the nice dress, the press, and the law.
Hers was the death of a handyman: “everybody needs one, but they don’t sit in the front seat.”
Gustern was killed by a high-society debutante, who was rescued from a life-sentence by her father, a cesspool magnate. He makes big money.
The disposal of sewage will always rank higher in importance than the execution of an “aging” voice teacher.
The punishment of Lauren Pazienza was the presumed natural lifespan — minus time-lived — of the murdered Barbara Maier, minus the time-served of the killer:
EIGHT YEARS.
This means Barbara’s probable age ceiling was counted as 100 years old. Outliving the age ceiling is considered greed. And an 87-year-old woman hailing a taxi that a young, up-and-coming 23-year-old wanted is just considered ‘greed.’ And that is why Barbara Maier was executed, just like “the old” in nursing homes who were murdered by the state-mandated importation of Covid patients into their residencies.
Nursing home deaths by Covid were 33 percent. And some of the nursing home patients were sent to shelters to die.
For what does the expression “the old” actually mean? It refers to those who have “outlived” their usefulness. It refers to those who must live on the outskirts of society because they have been condemned by the state to be invalid to the work force.
“Go lay down” is an expression used for dogs. And the old.
But Barbara Maier Gustern taught the voice 8 hours a day and then coached singers on Broadway; after this, she worked with Austin Pendleton and Barbara Bleier on new plays. At night, she attended faithfully the concerts of her pupils with great joy and vigor. In between lessons, she would walk for miles while shopping, banking, going to the gym, and visiting friends.
Barbara Maier Gustern told me that she experienced fear during Covid. This was in 2020. And her fear was justified. Because this 87-year-old, 80-pound woman was murdered whilst being “in the way” of a tall and heavy female sociopath on a warpath.
Lauren Pazienza was notorious for bullying, it was later learned.
“Drunk,” or not, is irrelevant in the determination of “guilt.”
Bullying was well-noted in the predator’s historical profile.
“BITCH!” [GET AWAY FROM MY CAB.]
After her attack upon Gustern, Pazienza cowardly ran home to her house of birth, no doubt in “the tears” with which she decorated her final and desperate guilty plea last month in the courtroom after having proclaimed her innocence for years. Rich girls don’t pay penalties for pushing around people from a lower financial class.
The press began fetishing this execution by referring to Lauren Pazienza as the “fiery redhead” and Barbara Maier Gustern as “the fragile grandmother.” It was suggested that [Pazienza’s] mowing down of an “old lady” was an act of passionate rage.
But, honey, Barbara Maier Gustern was famous! Her clients were famous! They worshipped her!
Whoever heard of the big-titted sow Lauren Pazienza? No one. And now that she looks like an advertisement for Oscar Meyer, I am tenderly reminded of Lord of the Flies.
I encourage the future prison-mates of Ms. Pazienza to read up on her ahead of her residence in their facility. They will certainly want to instruct her in the rehabilitation our fine prisons have offered them. No luxury should be spared. There is a great deal of knowledge lifers can pass on to an internee who will probably end up with only three years for good behavior. Quality time in prison might afford her what her past affiliations have failed to install — polite and humble bearing.
Thank you, dear sisters, in advance of your tutelage,
Kindly,
Diamanda Galás