The imposing facade of the Oslo opera house, opened only in 2008, is in need of a refit. The proud white marble has turned streaky grey and needs to be restored. The Government will pay. It’s a matter of national pride.

The diva was in  Princeton last week when she heard there was a choir outside, waiting in bitter cold to sing to her. So she asked them in, picked up the camera and filmed her visitors, tears of gratitude streaking her cheeks. Here’s the video she’s sent us and (below) the reason she cried.

What a beautiful, surprising, lovely gesture from the gorgeous choir members of Westminster Choir College. They waited (out in the cold!) after my recital in Princeton to “thank me” in song. I cannot describe how touching it was to see these beautiful faces singing in such a heartfelt manner.

The funny thing? This was me, xx years ago … I was the one tearing up at the power of song and the immense connection that occurred singing in a choir with my dearest of friends. I am so uplifted and hopeful seeing how this tradition continues.

Thank you so much for your gorgeous gift!!

The conductor Thomas Sanderling has uncovered a wartime suite of romances by Dmitri Shostakovich on poems by Shakespeare, Walter Raleigh and Robbie Burns. Even more remarkable is a wondrously unidiomatic orchestration of the Scottish ballad, Annie Laurie. Who knew?

Gerald Finley sings the glorious world premieres on an imminent Ondine recording.

In the April issue of Standpoint, I assess the disparity between the dull bourgeois personality of Richard Strauss and the celestial uplift we receive from his music. For stimulus and sparkle, Strauss is probably the last person you would invite to a dinner party. A determined egotist, lacking ethical or intellectual curiosity, he was no more and no less than a great composer.

So why do we expect genius to be interesting? Read my essay here.

pictured with Baldur von Schirach and the playwright at the world premiere of Hauptmann’s Iphigenia

The Danish violinist Anker Buch, who studied at Juilliard with Ivan Galamian alongside Itzhak Perlman and Pinchas Zukerman, has died aged 74.

Aside from a busy career with many performances and recordings, he bought and developed the Kalgruber tourist attraction and founded a prize for young talents.

The violinist has been talking to CBC News about his bad experience at Pearson Airport.

‘We find this very concerning as it is not at all representative of Air Canada’s policies,, said an airline spokesman. Watch here.

The busker on this new vid is Lara St John, the dancer Stephanie Cadman.

This might have been a wonderful tourist film for the city’s artistic attractions, were it not for this week’s misfortune involving Itzhak Perlman.

It’s not often you see an expensive piece of hardware mindlessly destroyed in a mundane setting.

For those who care about the details, it’s a matt-black Aventador worth £300k ($450k). The crash, captured by a passer-by, happened in Kensington on Sunday. The driver seemed a bit upset.

…. and a violinist jumping into my pool.

Clean Bandit, the former Cambridge string quartet who are topping the UK dance charts, have made a new video in Cuba.

As you’d expect from this original, iconoclastic ensemble, the images are stunning and surprising.

And the music’s pretty good.

Try some.

Yannick Nézet-Séguin has cancelled on the Vienna Philharmonic this week ‘on health grounds’. It’s his third major cancellation in four months, prompting suggestions that the Canadian and his agent have overloaded his diary to the point of exhaustion.

Yannick is music director in Philadelphia and Rotterdam and has engagements with many other orchestras.

His Vienna replacement in Bruckner 8 on Sunday is Jaap van Zweden, the Dallas music director, making his VPO debut.