First they announced that live musicians were to be replaced by canned tracks on Dancing with the Stars. 28 players lost their jobs.

Now they have got rid of the excellent music director, Harold Wheeler.

The joint producers, BBC Worldwide Productions and ABC TV, issued this statement:

Our talented Music Director, Harold Wheeler, will not be joining us for Season 18 of Dancing with the Stars. Since season one, Harold and his band have performed brilliant music in our ballroom for our dancers and the American viewers at home. We are grateful to him and his band for their amazing work and years of collaboration. We wish him the best of luck.

Switch off now.

Figures published by the Ministry of Culture in Rome reveal that  Stephane Lissner was paid 817,000 Euros last year to be general director of La Scala opera and ballet.

The figures have been disputed by La Scala, which maintains Lissner was paid *only*  507,000 Euros, plus bonuses and expenses, which include 85,000 euros for renting an apartment and 177,338 euros for pension, severance and social security costs (source: Il Messagero).

Hold it right there.

Half a million Euros ($680,000) to manage a tax-funded opera house? That’s more than twice what it takes to run Covent Garden.

And a bonus on top: for what? Not provoking a strike? not dancing with ballet boys? not taking more sick leave than the average diva?

This whole set up looks like sick pay. In toy town. With public money that Italy doesn’t have.

Lissner is leaving at the end of this season, a year early. He’s moving on to Paris Opera and Ballet. We guess they’ve matched the offer.

Cleveland Orchestra musicians want to show their appreciation for the backing group. So they’re throwing a benefit. Cool.

Richard Hayman, who used to make arrangements for Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops, has died at 93, a year after his retirment.

He founded the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s pops concerts and conducted them for three decades in spangly jackets.

He was also a&r chief for Mercury Records. Helluva nice guy, say his musicians.

Looking good.

Frank Almond has been informed of its recovery. He’s in Florida.

One of the suspects in the case has been named as Universal Knowledge Allah. The FBI traced the taser that shot Frank to Texas, where it was reportedly purchased by Allah.

We hear that Midori, the international violinist, has fallen out with Opus 3 Artists after a very long association.

She is no longer listed on their website. Her younger brother, Ryu Goto, remains.

We regret to report the ‘sudden and unexpected‘ death of Paulus Christmann, director of the Frankfurter Singakademie since 2005.

He founded the Frankfurt Mendelssohn Days and was active in the city’s education initiatives.

A singer writes: Many were late due to traffic/weather issues? It was all in good fun!

h/t Beena David

The announcement was made by the mayor, it’s that important. Three suspects are under arrest.

Our congratulations to the Milwaukee Police. Our delight for Frank Almond.

Our suggestion for the judge: sentence them to ten years in a Russian conservatoire.

Fullest and most musical report here.

El Pais reports today that the next music director at the Teatro Real will be Ivor Bolton, a trusted ally of the theatre’s new chief, Joan Matabosch. We wish him every success.

The music biz has launched an app that let’s you imagine you’re breaking a young artist into a world of sharks, shits and pirates. The app is a co-pro of UK Music, the Intellectual Property Office and Aardman Animations. Would it work in classical?

Try it.

We hear that Anna Netrebko will sing the Russian national anthem at both opening and closing ceremonies of the Putin Games.