It was an idea that sparked between a Baltic refugee and an Austrian priest in 1981.

Yesterday, Gidon Kremer ended his involvement with the Lockenhaus Festivals, one of the most relaxed and productive events in the summer calendar, yielding some remarkable recordings. No successor has been appointed.

Down the years, Kremer’s guests have included Vladimir Ashkenazy, Martha Argerich, Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Andras Schiff.

Here‘s a report of the final events.

After all the fuss and bother, Lee Hall’s school play with music by Harvey Brough opened yesterday, the BBC reports.

In the thick of the Murdoch fuore, it drew less than a flutter of media attention, a storm blown out in a Yorkshire teacup.

Not one Sunday newspaper has bothered to report the premiere. End of story.

A heated discussion on a previous page of this site has yielded the welcome information that Jackie Evancho, the 11 year-old child presently topping the US Billboard classical charts, checks in to study at the Juilliard School.

One of her fans reports: Jackie’s mother released the name of her Juilliard coach today. She’s Lorraine Nubar, the head of Juilliard’s Pre-College Division of singing.

Well, in a manner of speaking. Ms Nubar runs a Saturday class for 12 to 15 year-olds. Jackie has been allowed to slip in under the age bar. But it’s a good sign. She’ll get a solid grounding in general technique and a sharp eye for career opportunity. I look forward to receiving her grades.

The death has been announced of one of the great American baritones, the Met’s trademark Scarpia, Cornell Macneil. He was 88, sang 26 roles and recorded powerfully for Decca with Karajan, Serafin and Solti.

He made his Scala debut in 1959 but made relatively scarce appearances in Europe. He was home-loving guy.

Here‘s an Opera News profile.